http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/ DMD Holistic Medicine - Blog RSS Feed 2.0 en-us Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:31:34 GMT Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:31:34 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/16870/The-3-Essential-Labs-for-Eczema-and-Psoriasis--Finding-Your-Root-Cause blog The 3 Essential Labs for Eczema and Psoriasis: Finding Your Root Cause If you've been struggling with eczema or psoriasis, you've probably been through the ringer. Maybe you've tried every "miracle" cream on the shelf, sat through countless appointments, or were told that your only option is a lifetime of steroid creams or immunosuppressants. But here's the thing: your skin is not the enemy. In my work as a Traditional Naturopath and wellness practitioner, I look at the skin as the body's "third kidney." When your primary detox organs: like your liver, kidneys, and gut: are overwhelmed by a toxic burden, your body has to find another way to push those toxins out. The skin is the most visible "exit vent" it has. Instead of just masking the symptoms, we want to ask why the body is screaming for help. To do that, we have to stop guessing and start testing. While I am not a doctor and I don't prescribe drugs or focus on "managing" disease, I am a healer focused on rejuvenation and identifying the root causes that are keeping your body from its natural state of balance. Here are the three essential labs I recommend for anyone ready to stop the itch and start the healing. 1. Food Sensitivities with a Candida Panel We've all heard the phrase "you are what you eat," but it's more accurate to say "you are what you can digest and absorb." When you have a chronic skin condition like eczema or psoriasis, there is almost always an inflammatory fire burning in the gut. A standard allergy test (the kind that looks for immediate IgE reactions, like hives or anaphylaxis) often comes back totally normal for people with chronic skin issues. This is because we are usually dealing with sensitivities (IgG or IgA reactions), which are delayed. You might eat a piece of bread on Monday, and your eczema flares up on Wednesday. Without testing, it's nearly impossible to connect those dots.   In my practice at DMD Natural Medicine, I combine food sensitivity testing with a Candida panel. Candida is a type of yeast that lives in the gut. In small amounts, it's fine. But when it overgrows: often due to high sugar intake, antibiotic use, or chronic stress: it releases toxic byproducts like acetaldehyde. These toxins can leak into your bloodstream and manifest as red, itchy, or scaly patches on your skin. By identifying exactly which foods are triggering your immune system and seeing if a yeast overgrowth is contributing to your toxic burden, we can create a nutrition plan that actually allows your skin to calm down. 2. The Leaky Gut Test (Intestinal Permeability) You can't talk about skin health without talking about the gut-skin axis. Your gut lining is supposed to be a tight barrier, only letting nutrients through into the bloodstream. Think of it like a fine-mesh screen. "Leaky gut," or intestinal permeability, is what happens when that screen gets holes in it. When the gut is leaky, undigested food particles, bacteria, and toxins slip through the "holes" and enter your circulation. Your immune system sees these "intruders" and goes into a state of high alert. This systemic inflammation often travels straight to the skin. For many people with psoriasis: which is an autoimmune-related condition: leaky gut is a massive piece of the puzzle. The body is in a constant state of hyper-vigilance because it's being bombarded by "junk" that shouldn't be in the blood. A specific lab test for markers like Zonulin (a protein that regulates the opening of those gut junctions) can tell us exactly how compromised your barrier is. If the gut is leaky, the skin will stay "leaky" and reactive. We have to seal the gut to clear the skin. This is why I often suggest Fiber-Fueled Meal Prep Ideas to my clients; getting the right nutrients into the gut is a foundational step in repair. 3. TH1/TH2 Cytokine Profile: The Immune "See-Saw" This is perhaps the most important lab for anyone with chronic, stubborn skin issues, yet it's rarely ordered in a traditional medical setting. Your immune system has different "branches." The TH1 branch is your cellular defense (fighting viruses and bacteria), and the TH2 branch is more involved in allergic responses. In a healthy body, these two branches sit on a see-saw in perfect balance. However, in people with eczema and psoriasis, the see-saw is usually stuck. Eczema is often associated with TH2 dominance (overactive allergic and inflammatory signaling). Psoriasis is often associated with TH1 dominance (overactive cellular immune response). A TH1/TH2 Cytokine Profile measures specific signaling proteins called cytokines in your blood. Why does this matter? Because if your immune system is stuck on one side, even "healthy" supplements can sometimes make you feel worse. For example, some herbs boost TH1, while others boost TH2. If you are already TH1 dominant and you take a TH1-boosting herb, you might flare your psoriasis! By seeing exactly where your dominance lies, I can help you build a protocol that brings that see-saw back to center.   Building Your Natural Protocol: The Traditional Naturopathic Way Once we have the data from these labs, we don't reach for a prescription pad. Unlike some naturopathic doctors who might still use antibiotics or pharmaceutical drugs, my approach as a traditional healer is to work with your body's innate intelligence. We use these results to build a customized, root-cause protocol using: 1. Herbs Nature provides incredible tools for detoxification and immune modulation. We use herbs to support the liver (so the skin doesn't have to do the work), clear out Candida overgrowth, and soothe the gut lining. 2. Homeopathy Homeopathy works on an energetic level to remind the body how to heal itself. It is particularly effective for the "toxic burden" aspect of skin issues, helping the body move through the layers of suppression that often come after years of using steroid creams. 3. Peptides Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as signaling molecules. They can be incredibly helpful for gut repair (like BPC-157) or for modulating the immune system without suppressing it. They help "talk" to your cells to encourage rejuvenation and repair. 4. Targeted Nutrition This isn't about a "one size fits all" diet. Based on your food sensitivity labs, we remove the triggers that are causing internal fire and add in the specific nutrients: like Vitamin D, Zinc, and Omega-3s: that your skin needs to rebuild. Why "Natural" is Different It's important to understand that eczema and psoriasis are not just "bad luck." They are symptoms of an underlying imbalance. In the world of conventional medicine, the goal is often to shut the symptom up. If you have a rash, they give you a cream to make the rash go away. But if your body is using that rash to push out toxins, and you block that exit with a steroid, where do the toxins go? They go deeper into the body. This is why many people find that their skin clears up for a few weeks on a cream, only for the issues to come back worse, or for new issues (like asthma or digestive problems) to appear. As a wellness practitioner, my goal is to help you open the proper "drainage" pathways so your body doesn't need to use your skin as a trash can. We want to clean the internal environment so the external environment (your skin) can shine.   Ready to Find Your Root Cause? You don't have to just "live with" itchy, painful, or embarrassing skin. Whether you are dealing with the dry, red patches of eczema or the silvery scales of psoriasis, there is an answer. By looking at your food sensitivities, checking your gut health, and balancing your immune system's see-saw, we can stop chasing symptoms and start true healing. If you're ready to move beyond the "band-aid" approach and explore what's really going on inside your body, I'm here to guide you. You can learn more about how we work at DMD Natural Medicine and start your journey toward rejuvenation today. Healing is possible when you give the body exactly what it needs to find its own way back to balance. Let's find your root cause together. Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/16870/The-3-Essential-Labs-for-Eczema-and-Psoriasis--Finding-Your-Root-Cause http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/16261/Why-to-Avoid-Topical-Steroid-Creams-for-Inflammatory-Skin-Conditions-Like-Eczema blog If you've been dealing with eczema, psoriasis, or other inflammatory skin conditions, chances are a doctor has handed you a prescription for topical steroid cream. Maybe you've been using it for months, or even years. And while it might seem like it's "working" in the short term, what if I told you that suppressing your skin inflammation could actually be making the underlying problem worse? As a Traditional Naturopath, I see skin conditions differently than conventional medicine does. Your skin isn't just randomly deciding to flare up and cause you misery. It's trying to tell you something, and more importantly, it's trying to eliminate something. Let me explain why I recommend my clients avoid topical steroid creams and what's really happening beneath the surface. Your Skin Is an Elimination Organ (Not Just a Wrapper) Most people don't realize that the skin is one of your body's primary detoxification pathways. Along with your liver, kidneys, lungs, and colon, your skin works around the clock to eliminate waste, toxins, and metabolic byproducts that your body doesn't want hanging around. When your internal detox pathways become overburdened, whether from environmental toxins, heavy metals, mold exposure, poor gut health, or sluggish liver function, your body will start pushing toxins out through the skin. This is a survival mechanism, not a malfunction. Eczema, rashes, hives, and chronic itching are often signs that your body is trying to eliminate a toxic burden. The inflammation you're experiencing isn't the problem itself, it's the symptom of a deeper imbalance. So when you apply a steroid cream to suppress that inflammation, you're essentially telling your body, "Stop trying to detox." But here's the thing: the toxins don't just disappear. They get pushed back inside, where they continue to accumulate and cause damage to your tissues, organs, and cellular function. Steroid Creams Don't Address Root Causes Topical corticosteroids work by suppressing your immune response and reducing inflammation at the skin's surface. And yes, they can make your eczema look better temporarily. The redness fades, the itching quiets down, and you might feel some relief. But that relief comes at a cost. Steroids are a band-aid, they mask the symptom without ever addressing why the inflammation is there in the first place. In my practice, I see the same pattern over and over: A client comes in with eczema or dermatitis They've been using steroid creams for years The flare-ups keep coming back (or getting worse) They're stuck in a cycle of dependence on the medication Meanwhile, the real issue, toxic overload, gut dysbiosis, food sensitivities, heavy metal accumulation, or chronic stress, is never investigated or treated. When you work with a Traditional Naturopath like myself, we don't just look at your skin. We look at your whole system. We run specialized testing to assess toxic burden, gut health, nutrient deficiencies, and drainage pathway function. Then we create a protocol to support your body's natural ability to heal and eliminate, without suppressing the very mechanism that's trying to protect you. The Dangerous Reality of Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW) Here's something most dermatologists won't tell you: stopping topical steroids after prolonged use can trigger a severe reaction called Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW), also known as Red Skin Syndrome. TSW happens when your skin has become dependent on the steroid medication. Once you try to stop using it, your skin can go haywire. Symptoms include: Intense burning and stinging sensations Bright red, inflamed skin (often worse than the original condition) Oozing, flaking, and peeling Extreme sensitivity to touch, water, or temperature changes Severe itching that disrupts sleep and daily life Skin that feels tight, swollen, or "on fire" These symptoms can last for months, sometimes even years, as your skin tries to regulate itself again. People going through TSW often describe it as one of the most physically and emotionally painful experiences of their lives. And yet, this condition is rarely discussed in conventional medical settings. Many people are prescribed stronger and stronger steroids without ever being warned about the risk of withdrawal or dependency. From a naturopathic perspective, TSW is your body's desperate attempt to reboot its natural inflammatory response after it's been artificially suppressed for so long. It's yet another reminder that blocking elimination pathways has serious consequences. What Happens When You Block Your Skin's Elimination Channel Think of your body like a house with multiple exits. If you lock the back door (your skin), the pressure builds up inside. The toxins that were supposed to leave through your skin now have nowhere to go, so they either: Recirculate internally, contributing to systemic inflammation, brain fog, fatigue, joint pain, and hormonal imbalances Overburden your other detox organs, putting extra strain on your liver, kidneys, and lymphatic system Get stored in fat tissue, where they can continue causing problems for years When you suppress skin inflammation with steroids, you're not healing, you're redirecting the problem. The toxic burden doesn't go away; it just festers deeper in your system. This is why I often see clients whose eczema "improves" with steroid use, but who simultaneously develop new issues like digestive problems, anxiety, chronic fatigue, or autoimmune symptoms. The body is always trying to communicate, and when you silence one channel, it will find another way to speak. The Root-Cause Approach: What I Do Differently In my practice as a Traditional Naturopath, I don't suppress symptoms, I support the body's innate healing wisdom. When someone comes to me with eczema or inflammatory skin conditions, here's what we focus on: 1. Identifying the Toxic Burden I use specialized testing to assess heavy metal levels, environmental toxin exposure, and total body burden. Unlike conventional approaches that ignore these factors, we need to know what your body is trying to eliminate before we can help it do so safely. 2. Opening and Supporting Drainage Pathways Before we start detoxing, we make sure your elimination channels are open and functioning. This means supporting your liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, and yes, your skin, with gentle, targeted protocols. 3. Healing the Gut Most skin conditions have roots in gut dysfunction. Leaky gut, dysbiosis, and chronic inflammation in the digestive tract can all trigger systemic inflammation that shows up on your skin. Healing the gut is often the missing piece in resolving eczema for good. 4. Using Natural, Non-Suppressive Remedies Instead of steroids, I use homeopathic remedies, herbal medicine, and peptides to support the body's natural healing response, without shutting down inflammation or blocking elimination. These approaches work with your body, not against it. 5. Addressing Stress and Nervous System Dysregulation Chronic stress keeps your body in a state of fight-or-flight, which impairs detoxification and immune function. Nervous system support is a key part of any root-cause healing protocol. What If You've Already Been Using Steroid Creams? If you've been using topical steroids and want to stop, please don't go cold turkey without support. TSW is real, and it can be severe. Work with a qualified practitioner: ideally a Traditional Naturopath or holistic provider: who understands the withdrawal process and can support your body through it. This might include drainage support, nervous system regulation, anti-inflammatory herbs, and homeopathic remedies to ease the transition. Healing from steroid dependence takes time, but it is possible. I've worked with clients who've successfully weaned off steroids and experienced true, lasting healing by addressing the root causes of their skin inflammation. Final Thoughts: Your Body Isn't Broken If you're dealing with eczema, psoriasis, or chronic skin inflammation, I want you to know this: your body isn't broken. It's not attacking itself for no reason. It's trying to protect you by eliminating toxins that don't belong. Suppressing that process with steroid creams might give you temporary relief, but it won't give you lasting health. Real healing happens when you work with your body's intelligence: not against it. At DMD Natural Medicine, I specialize in helping people uncover the root causes of chronic health issues and create personalized protocols using natural, non-suppressive therapies. If you're tired of the band-aid approach and ready to heal from the inside out, I'd love to support you on that journey. Your skin is speaking. It's time we listen. Sun, 01 Feb 2026 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/16261/Why-to-Avoid-Topical-Steroid-Creams-for-Inflammatory-Skin-Conditions-Like-Eczema http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/16225/Looking-For-the-Best-Naturopathic-Doctors-Near-Me--Here-Are-10-Things-You-Should-Know blog So you've decided to explore natural medicine. Maybe you're tired of feeling unheard at conventional doctor appointments. Perhaps you're dealing with chronic symptoms that haven't improved despite multiple prescriptions. Or you're simply ready to take a more holistic approach to your health. Whatever brought you here, searching for the "best naturopathic doctors near me" is a great first step. But here's the thing: not all practitioners are created equal. The naturopathic medicine field can be confusing to navigate, especially when you're new to it. Before you book that first appointment, here are ten essential things you need to know to find a qualified doctor in naturopathic medicine who's right for you. 1. There's a Big Difference Between "Naturopath" and "Naturopathic Doctor" This might be the most important distinction you'll learn today. The term "naturopath" isn't protected in many states, which means someone with minimal training could use that title. A Naturopathic Doctor (ND or NMD), on the other hand, has completed formal, accredited education. Think of it like the difference between someone who took a weekend cooking class and a professionally trained chef. Both might call themselves "cooks," but their skill levels are vastly different. When searching for holistic medicine practitioners near me, always verify whether you're looking at a licensed ND or an unlicensed naturopath. This distinction significantly affects their training level, knowledge base, and scope of practice. 2. Verify Their Education at an Accredited Program A qualified naturopathic doctor completes four years of graduate-level education at an accredited naturopathic medical school. This is similar in duration and rigor to conventional medical education, covering anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, and more: plus extensive training in natural therapeutics. Don't be shy about asking practitioners about their educational background. Any legitimate doctor natural medicine practitioner will be happy to share where they trained and what credentials they hold. 3. Check State Licensing and Credentials Here's where it gets a bit tricky. Licensing requirements for naturopathic doctors vary significantly by state. Some states have robust licensing boards, while others have minimal regulation. Your homework: Verify any practitioner's name with the American Association of Naturopathic Doctors (AANP) or your state's medical board. This ensures they're properly licensed to practice where you live. This step might feel like extra work, but it's worth every minute when your health is on the line. 4. Look for Specialization That Matches Your Needs Just like conventional medicine, doctors that practice natural medicine often develop areas of specialization. Some focus on endocrine disorders and hormone health. Others specialize in digestive issues, autoimmune conditions, mental health, or chronic illness management. When searching for all natural doctors near me, think about what's bringing you to naturopathic medicine in the first place. Then look for practitioners whose expertise aligns with your specific health concerns. 5. Confirm Experience with Your Specific Health Issue Beyond specialization, you want a doctor who has successfully treated patients with conditions similar to yours. This hands-on experience matters tremendously. Check the doctor's biography online, and don't hesitate to ask directly during a consultation: "Have you worked with patients who have [your condition]? What kind of outcomes have you seen?" A confident, experienced practitioner will be glad to discuss their track record. If someone seems evasive or vague, that's a red flag worth noting. 6. Understand Their Treatment Philosophy The best naturopathic doctors take a holistic, whole-person approach. This means they're not just treating your symptoms: they're looking at interconnected systems throughout your body to understand the root cause of your health challenges. Typical treatment modalities in holistic naturopathic medicine include: Clinical nutrition and dietary guidance Herbal medicine Lifestyle modifications Stress management techniques Homeopathy Physical medicine During your initial consultation, ask about their treatment philosophy. How do they approach complex health issues? What tools do they typically use? Understanding their methodology helps you determine if it resonates with your health goals. 7. Ask About Collaboration with Conventional Doctors This is crucial, especially if you're currently seeing a conventional physician or taking prescription medications. The best holistic and natural medicine practitioners understand they're one piece of your healthcare puzzle. They should be willing: even eager: to collaborate with your primary care physician to ensure safe integration of both approaches. This collaboration prevents harmful interactions between natural remedies and prescription medications. It also creates a more comprehensive care team working together for your benefit. If a naturopathic doctor dismisses your conventional treatments outright or refuses to communicate with your other healthcare providers, consider that a warning sign. 8. Read Patient Testimonials and Ask for References What are other patients saying about their experience? Online reviews can provide valuable insights into a doctor's effectiveness, bedside manner, and patient care quality. But don't stop there. Ask friends, family members, or colleagues if they have personal recommendations. Word-of-mouth referrals from people you trust often lead to the best practitioner matches. Look for patterns in reviews. Consistent praise for thorough consultations, clear communication, and positive health outcomes are all green flags. Repeated complaints about feeling rushed or unheard? Those are patterns worth taking seriously. 9. Trust Your Gut About Comfort and Rapport Here's something that doesn't get discussed enough: the relationship between you and your doctor significantly affects your treatment outcomes. You need to feel comfortable being honest about your symptoms, lifestyle habits, and concerns. You need to trust that your practitioner is genuinely listening and has your best interests at heart. Pay attention to how you feel during initial consultations. Do you feel heard? Respected? Understood? Your confidence in your doctor influences your willingness to follow their recommendations: and ultimately, your health results. 10. Ensure They Spend Adequate Time on Your Care One of the biggest advantages of working with dr alternative medicine practitioners is the time they typically devote to each patient. While conventional doctor visits often feel rushed (sometimes lasting just 10-15 minutes), naturopathic appointments are usually much longer. This extended time allows your doctor to develop a deeper understanding of your overall health picture. They can ask thorough questions, listen to your full health history, and create truly personalized treatment plans. During your search for the best naturopathic doctors near me, ask about typical appointment lengths: both for initial consultations and follow-up visits. Adequate time equals more comprehensive care. Finding Your Perfect Match Searching for the right naturopathic doctor takes some effort, but it's worth it. When you find a practitioner who's properly trained, experienced with your health concerns, and genuinely invested in your wellbeing, the results can be transformative. Remember: you're not just looking for any doctor. You're looking for a partner in your health journey: someone who sees you as a whole person, not just a collection of symptoms. At DMD Natural Medicine, we believe everyone deserves access to quality holistic care. Whether you're local to Denver or prefer a virtual approach, we're here to support your path to optimal health. Ready to take the next step? Reach out to us to learn more about how naturopathic medicine might be right for you. Your journey toward better health starts with asking the right questions: and now you know exactly what to ask. Sat, 17 Jan 2026 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/16225/Looking-For-the-Best-Naturopathic-Doctors-Near-Me--Here-Are-10-Things-You-Should-Know http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/16148/The-Naturopathic-View-of-Folliculitis--When-Scalp-Breakouts-Signal-Deeper-Internal-Congestion blog Folliculitis is often dismissed as a simple surface-level skin issue — an inflamed hair follicle caused by bacteria, yeast, or irritation. In conventional dermatology, the focus tends to remain at the level of the skin: visible inflammation, pustules, and redness are treated as isolated events occurring in the outermost layers of the body. But within naturopathic medicine, folliculitis is rarely seen as a purely local problem. Instead, it is understood as an outward expression of internal imbalance — and one of the most overlooked contributors is kidney congestion. From a naturopathic perspective, the skin is not a separate organ system operating in isolation. It is considered a "third kidney" — a detoxification pathway that assists the liver and kidneys in moving waste products out of the body. When the primary elimination organs become overwhelmed or sluggish, the body often diverts waste through secondary routes, including the skin and scalp. The scalp, with its dense network of follicles and rich blood supply, becomes a prime outlet for this overflow. In this framework, kidney congestion does not necessarily mean structural kidney disease. Rather, it refers to a functional slowing of the kidneys' ability to filter and clear metabolic byproducts efficiently. When this filtration system is congested at a subtle level, fluids and waste materials can stagnate in the tissues. The scalp — being highly vascular and naturally warm — becomes a frequent site where this internal stagnation manifests externally. Naturopathic philosophy views this as a highly intelligent adaptive process rather than a failure of the skin. The body is trying to protect deeper organs by pushing irritation outward. What appears as folliculitis is, in this lens, a safety valve — a pressure release. The follicles become inflamed not solely because of microbes, but because the terrain of the tissue has changed. The skin chemistry shifts, the immune response becomes more reactive, and the local environment becomes a breeding ground for secondary invaders. This stands in contrast to the dominant Western dermatologic model, which typically targets the end stage of the process. Antibiotics, antifungals, and anti-inflammatory topical agents are commonly prescribed to suppress symptoms and reduce visible lesions. While these approaches often clear the surface temporarily, they rarely address why the scalp environment became vulnerable in the first place. The inflammation is quieted, but the internal congestion remains. From the naturopathic viewpoint, this is the core reason why folliculitis so often becomes chronic or recurrent. When treatment only pursues surface suppression, the body's underlying eliminative stress is left unresolved. The skin may calm briefly, but the deeper imbalance continues to seek an outlet, resulting in repeated flare-ups, shifting patterns, or inflammation migrating to new areas. Naturopathic medicine emphasizes that the scalp is not merely a site of infection, but a reflection of internal fluid dynamics, detoxification throughput, and organ burden. Kidney congestion linked to scalp folliculitis represents a systemic story expressed through a very local symptom. It is a message — not just a malfunction. Ultimately, this perspective does not reject dermatology, but reframes the narrative. Rather than viewing folliculitis as a simple bacterial problem to be eradicated, naturopathy sees it as a conversation between the body's internal terrain and its outermost boundary. Until that conversation is understood and addressed at the root, surface-level solutions rarely produce lasting resolution. In this deeper, root-cause approach to skin health, Diana Drake, Board Certified Traditional Naturopath; is known for her specialization in complex, chronic skin conditions. Her work focuses on understanding how internal organ congestion, lymphatic stagnation, and terrain imbalance can drive persistent scalp and skin inflammation. Rather than viewing conditions like folliculitis as isolated surface disorders, she approaches them as systemic signals that require individualized investigation and long-term balancing. Through this holistic lens, she has become a trusted resource for those seeking answers beyond conventional symptom-suppression models. Using a combination of herbs, homeopathy and peptides, Diana builds root cause protocols that balance at the root cause.   Thu, 25 Dec 2025 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/16148/The-Naturopathic-View-of-Folliculitis--When-Scalp-Breakouts-Signal-Deeper-Internal-Congestion http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/16144/Blood-Coagulation--COVID-19--EMFs--and-Oxygenation--A-Naturopathic-View-of-Blood-Terrain-and-Microvascular-Flow blog In naturopathic medicine, blood is understood as far more than a simple delivery system for oxygen and nutrients. It is seen as a living, responsive tissue whose thickness, electrical charge, and flow patterns reflect the internal terrain of the body. When blood becomes overly thick, congested, or prone to clumping, it signals a deeper imbalance in inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular energy. Rather than viewing coagulation problems as isolated cardiovascular events, naturopathic philosophy sees them as expressions of systemic congestion — where the internal environment becomes stressed, acidic, or oxygen-deprived. This shift in terrain can cause red blood cells to lose their natural separation, encouraging aggregation and micro-sludging that slows circulation through the smallest vessels.   COVID-19 and the Inflammatory Terrain of the Blood The COVID-19 era brought widespread attention to abnormal clotting and microvascular complications. From a naturopathic perspective, these changes are not viewed simply as viral damage but as the result of extreme inflammatory and oxidative stress overwhelming the blood's natural fluid balance. When inflammation rises, the delicate lining of blood vessels becomes more reactive and adhesive. Platelets become hypersensitive, fibrin production increases, and red blood cells are more likely to cluster together. This creates a terrain in which circulation becomes sluggish, oxygen delivery is impaired, and tissues experience subtle, chronic hypoxia. In this model, blood is not failing — it is responding to an overwhelmed internal environment. EMFs and the Electrical Nature of the Blood Naturopathic medicine also recognizes that the body is both biochemical and bioelectrical. Blood cells carry surface charges that cause them to gently repel one another, allowing for smooth, uninterrupted flow. When this electrical balance is disturbed, red blood cells may begin to stack together in formations often described as "coin-like" clumping. Within naturopathic thought, chronic exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) is viewed as a potential stressor to this biophysical system. Rather than seeing EMFs as a singular cause of clotting, naturopathy considers them one of many environmental inputs that can subtly alter cellular charge, promoting sluggish circulation and microvascular congestion over time. Oxygenation, Antioxidant Support, and Blood Fluidity A central concept in naturopathic care is that healthy blood requires both adequate oxygen and strong antioxidant protection. Oxidative stress damages cell membranes and disrupts the electrical charges that keep blood cells freely moving. Over time, this damage can make blood more prone to sticking, clotting, and congestion. From this viewpoint, improving oxygen availability is not about forcefully changing the body, but about restoring the biological signals that support natural blood fluidity. When tissues receive adequate oxygen, cellular metabolism becomes more efficient, inflammatory byproducts are reduced, and microcirculation is better supported. Dr. Dale's Oxygen Pro and the Naturopathic Concept of Blood Flow Support Within this naturopathic framework, products such as Dr. Dale's Oxygen Pro are viewed as tools that can support the body's natural relationship with oxygen. Rather than being seen as a drug or a treatment for disease, this type of oxygen-supportive compound is considered a way to enhance the terrain in which blood and cells function. By increasing oxygen availability at the cellular level, naturopathic practitioners believe this type of support may help the blood maintain a healthier viscosity and more balanced flow patterns. When oxygenation is optimized, red blood cells are thought to retain their natural spacing and flexibility, allowing for more effective movement through the microvasculature. In this way, the focus is not on "forcing" coagulation or dissolving clots, but on improving the internal conditions that allow blood to flow more freely and coherently. A Terrain-Centered View of Circulation From a naturopathic perspective, blood coagulation is not simply a mechanical event but a reflection of the body's internal terrain. Viral stressors such as COVID-19 and environmental stressors such as EMFs are understood as influences that can disrupt this delicate balance. When oxidative burden is high and oxygenation is low, the blood becomes more prone to congestion and cellular clustering. By restoring biological coherence through antioxidant support and enhanced oxygen availability, the body is believed to remember its natural state of fluid circulation. In this philosophy, the goal is not to fight the body's responses, but to create conditions where congestion is no longer necessary — allowing the microvascular system to open, nourish, and flow with greater ease. Thu, 25 Dec 2025 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/16144/Blood-Coagulation--COVID-19--EMFs--and-Oxygenation--A-Naturopathic-View-of-Blood-Terrain-and-Microvascular-Flow http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/14963/Alternatives-to-Taking-Antibiotics--Protecting-Your-Gut-and-Immune-System blog Antibiotics have long been a go-to treatment for bacterial infections, but recent studies have raised concerns about their impact on the body, particularly the gut microbiome and the immune system. While antibiotics are essential for treating certain infections, overuse or misuse can lead to long-term health problems. In this blog post, we'll explore some of the alternatives to antibiotics, their benefits, and how antibiotics can damage the gut and immune system.   The Gut Microbiome: Your Body's First Line of Defense The gut microbiome consists of trillions of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes that live in your digestive tract. These microorganisms play a crucial role in your overall health, including digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune function. When we take antibiotics, they don't just target harmful bacteria; they also wipe out the beneficial microbes in the gut. This disruption can lead to a range of health issues, including: Impaired Digestion: Antibiotics can decrease the diversity of gut bacteria, which in turn can affect the breakdown of food and absorption of nutrients. Increased Risk of Infections: A compromised gut microbiome can make it easier for harmful pathogens like Clostridium difficile to take over, potentially leading to dangerous infections. Weakened Immune Response: The gut is a vital part of your immune system, housing about 70% of your body's immune cells. Disrupting the balance of microbes can impair immune function, leaving you more susceptible to infections and illnesses. The Immune System: More Than Just Fighting Off Infections Your immune system relies on a delicate balance of good bacteria to help protect you from harmful invaders. Disrupting this balance with antibiotics can make it more difficult for the immune system to identify and respond to potential threats. Research has shown that the use of antibiotics can: Alter Immune Function: Antibiotics can disrupt the development of the immune system, especially in infants and young children. This alteration can lead to an increased risk of autoimmune diseases and allergies. Cause Chronic Inflammation: Long-term use of antibiotics can lead to chronic inflammation in the body, as the immune system may react more aggressively to pathogens that it struggles to recognize properly due to an imbalanced microbiome. Given these potential harms, it's important to consider alternatives to antibiotics, especially for minor or self-limiting infections. Let's take a look at some options. Natural Alternatives to Antibiotics While antibiotics are necessary in some cases, there are several natural alternatives to help manage infections and maintain overall health without risking the long-term consequences to your gut and immune system. 1. Probiotics Probiotics are live microorganisms that can help replenish the beneficial bacteria in your gut. When your gut microbiome is imbalanced—due to antibiotics, poor diet, or stress—taking a probiotic supplement or consuming fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut can help restore balance. Probiotics may also help prevent and treat gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea caused by antibiotics. Additionally, they support immune function and could help reduce the severity of infections. 2. Garlic Garlic is one of nature's most powerful antimicrobial agents. It contains compounds like allicin, which have been shown to have antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. Garlic has been traditionally used to treat a variety of infections, including respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. Incorporating garlic into your diet may help fight off bacterial infections without the negative side effects associated with antibiotics. 3. Honey Honey, particularly Manuka honey, has been used for centuries for its medicinal properties. It has strong antibacterial and antimicrobial qualities that can be effective in treating infections, especially wounds and skin conditions. Manuka honey has been shown to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria and promote healing. Its high antioxidant content can also help support the immune system. 4. Essential Oils Certain essential oils, such as tea tree oil, oregano oil, and eucalyptus oil, have demonstrated antimicrobial properties. These oils can be used topically (with proper dilution) or diffused into the air to support immune health and fight off infections. Tea tree oil, for instance, has been shown to be effective against skin infections, while oregano oil has strong antibacterial effects and can be used as a natural remedy for respiratory infections. 5. Echinacea Echinacea is a popular herb known for its immune-boosting properties. It has been shown to help the body fight off viral and bacterial infections by stimulating the immune system. Research suggests that echinacea may reduce the severity and duration of colds and flu, making it a great alternative for mild infections. 6. Turmeric and Curcumin Turmeric, the golden spice commonly used in curry, contains curcumin, a compound with potent anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties. It's often used to treat conditions like arthritis, digestive issues, and infections. By reducing inflammation and fighting off harmful bacteria, turmeric can support your immune system and promote healing. 7. Colloidal Silver Historically used for various infections including bacterial. Known for it's ability to not harm the native microbiome while balancing harmful bacterial strains.   Thu, 27 Mar 2025 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/14963/Alternatives-to-Taking-Antibiotics--Protecting-Your-Gut-and-Immune-System http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/13033/Alternative-Medicine-for-High-Blood-Pressure blog Can high blood pressure be balanced naturally? The key to imbalance in the body is to locate the root cause. The lack of the concern or discovery process of root causality in Western medicine along with profits for big pharma is the reason that blood pressure medication is the largest way this dis-ease is currently managed. However, when we look at the body we can identify only two true causes of disease. The first being too much of something the body doesn't need – such as toxins – and the second being not enough of something it needs – as in having a specific deficiency in a particular nutrient. It may not come as a surprise to hear that a deficiency in blood pressure drugs is NOT the root cause of high blood pressure. Therefore high blood pressure drugs only manage the symptom and do not resolve the root cause, leaving that imbalance continuing to go unchecked in the body for years. Then, eventually, when a cardiovascular event happens such as a stroke or heart attack, the patient is simply categorized as being pre-disposed and high risk due to previously having blood pressure.  Let's rewind. Instead of ending up a statistic why don't we examine the potential root causes of blood pressure imbalance. Keeping in mind that individuals may not have ALL of these,  working with a natural practitioner may help to find which of these apply to you so that you can balance this issue using natural therapies like herbs and nutritional supplements. Blood Coagulation Thanks to the recent COVID vaccine, the concept of blood clotting due to the coagulation of the platelets has become more of a common household discussion. Blood coagulation simply means that the platelets are "stuck together" and "cluster".  This affects the blood thickness. The thicker the blood, the harder it is to pump through the body. There are several issues with this that negatively impacts physiology. When the blood is coagulated, it no longer properly delivers oxygen to all of the tissues. The human body not only has large veins, arteries and smaller blood vessels but also microscopic capillaries that deliver oxygen to tissue. These capillaries are so small that only single blood cells can access them traveling in a row. This simply cannot happen if the blood is coagulated. Therefore, the heart may begin to "push" harder in order to "pump" the blood everywhere that it needs to go. Just in case you have forgotten how important oxygen is - we cannot live without it for more than several minutes without permanent damage or death. Imagine what years and years of oxygen-starved tissue is doing in the body.  Oxygen starved tissue will not be functioning properly, it will not be alkalized and a potential side effect of this is the feeling of pins and needles or numb tissue... neuropathy anyone?  Hardening of the arteries An unfortunate result of years of a bad diet particularly rich in animal fat from meat, dairy and eggs. When the arteries are less "flexible" and begin to solidify with plaque cholesterol, the heart may compensate by pumping harder to try and get the blood through the system. Magnesium deficiency Seemingly simple but MOST Americans are magnesium deficient. Even people who take magnesium supplements! This is because the body needs ALL 8 forms of magnesium and people typically only take one or two forms and are underdosing. Magnesium allows tissues to relax. If muscles and tissues are tense in the body, the blood vessels also cannot be "relaxed". Again, another reason for the heart to try and compensate.   Stress We all hear that stress causes disease but let's examine exactly how. When your body goes into fight or flight – seeing a bear – several things are going to happen physiologically. Your muscles will tense up  You will secrete cortisol and adrenaline into the blood stream (stress hormones so that you can "escape" or "fight") Your blood pressure will go up!!! Panic – which is an extreme form of anxiety - will set in  We may not see a bear everyday, but the stresses of daily life have us STUCK in fight or flight. So physiologically, your body's manifestation of this may be a major cause of your blood pressure numbers being too high. Having understood the potential root causes, can you tell if a blood pressure drug is going to address these issues? Obviously...not. Working with a natural practitioner to address oxygenation, blood coagulation, blood thickness, stress and deficiencies may be something that interests you more than taking a drug. If this is you, please reach out to DMD Natural Medicine for a Complimentary Consultation.     Wed, 27 Mar 2024 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/13033/Alternative-Medicine-for-High-Blood-Pressure http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/12743/Is-there-a-cure-for-the-Common-Cold-and-Flu- blog Consideration of terrain vs germ theory This information is for education purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease.     For years, researchers have struggled to find the answer to the common cold. Yet, in spite of the thousands of hours of research and the millions of dollars which have been put into this project, science has NOT discovered a cure for this common ailment.   Given this obvious information, it is silly to think that a "cure" or "vaccine" could stop or prevent any sort of "new" coronaviruses. But what have they never considered? Perhaps it is that getting sick actually is the cure and not the disease. Our bodies are full of bacteria and some viruses at any given time, and our bodies will increase the load of either or both to deal with whatever toxic burden has invaded. When a group of people are sick, rather than assuming that everyone is making each other unwell, we need to look at environmental exposures and consider that a group of people have been exposed to something simultaneously. The "germ theory" really has no proof or basis. Yet, it is the foundation on which the entire western medical system has built it's temple. If germ theory were accurate, then why don't people don't get sick with multiple infections simultaneously year after year? For example, have you ever heard of someone having strep throat, the flu and phenomena at the same time? If we were really passing germs around – people would be constantly sick with various "pathogenic" infections. But what we see instead is disease processes set in and evolve, as Florence Nightengale observed and reported in her work. The foundation of Western Medicine is "Germ Theory" – the idea that we pass pathogens that began in an animal then from person to person is what makes use sick. But if viruses don't exist in nature then how did the first animal get a virus to spread around in the first place Terrain Theory on the other hand, recognizes that the body is a self-correcting system that will produce or reduce certain viruses and bacteria depending on the wellness of the terrain (bodies system, tissues, pH, toxic burden, nutrition etc). Germ theory requires that we take absolutely no accountability for our own health and that we simply blame getting sick on someone giving it to us. It also sets the premise that to prevent disease we need drugs, vaccines and to use toxic chemicals to "kill" germs on surfaces in the home and on our hands. But here we are in modern society with more drugs, vaccines, hand sanitizer and more "germ killing" home cleaning products and yet...people are still getting sick. In fact, we are sicker than ever. "Pathogens" have not been proven to be contagious. Bacteria and even parasites are there to help you. The body is a divine creation and does not make mistakes like western medicine would have us believe. If we give our bodies the proper tools to function, we can restore health or what is called "homeostasis". All over-the-counter medicines people use to treat colds and flu are all aimed at only one thing – relief of symptoms. They suppress coughs, dry up runny noses and reduce fevers. Not only does this not speed recovery, but it interferes with it instead. Doctors sometimes prescribe antibiotics for colds , but they usually don't do any good either. Antibiotics kill ALL bacteria and end up weakening the immune system. Bacteria and viruses are actually the RESULT of a poor terrain – not the cause of the illness. Bacteria are eaters, so they will come to a site if there are debris/toxins that need to be removed. Viruses are chemical solvents that the body produces in RESPONSE to toxins.   What about Flu shots? A strategy modern medicine employs with other viral disorders, such as mumps, measles and the chicken pox, is to create vaccines. Vaccines introduce diseased animal tissue that have been made sick in a lab – typically due to the injection of toxins to the animal – to make the animal produce a viral response/condition. The vaccine companies claim that they are introducing "weakened viruses" into the body that are supposed to work by stimulating the adaptive immune system to produce antibodies against them. This would make the immune system react more quickly to the virus when a person is exposed. The claim about the flu vaccine is that it only covers certain strains – so if you still catch a flu that season, it is simply because you have been exposed to a different strain. The alternative perspective would be that there will NEVER be a shot that can prevent a cold or flu because getting sick IS the cure. When our bodies get sick, we are actually going into an emergency detox. We get rid of lung cells, mucous, and expel toxins via coughing, diarrhea, sweating (fever) and through the nose. We also rid toxins in the blood and lymphatics via the lymph channels and lymph nodes which is why we experience swelling at the nodule sites. It is common for the body to force a detox right before winter – to get rid of toxins before the body goes into storage mode – especially in cold climates. Additionally, getting sick after coming out of storage mode (spring) is common especially for those who do not properly detox throughout the year. This may account for what we call "flu season". But people who are healthy and detox regularly (running an intentional detox protocol), may never have to suffer with getting sick. Those who get sick once a year or more maybe critically toxic and may benefit from implementing a better diet and twice yearly detoxing. Receiving a flu shot only gives you a jab of poison right into your blood stream. Those who get the flu after the flu shot are simply having an instant detox response to the poisonous shot they have just received. All vaccines are toxic and poisonous. That is why they have the potential to injure people. They contain mercury or aluminum and other toxic substances that actually weaken your immune system. Your immune system (microbiome and lymphatics) is there to tell non-self from self. Poisons are non-self. Viruses and bacteria that area already part of the native terrain are technically self also and therefore not something that the immune system would fight or react to. Instead, think of "pathogens" as tools that our immune system uses to help us. So if we want to get sick less often or ward off a cold/flu – we need to HELP the body detox rather than suppress the cold symptoms. When we suppress the symptom and STOP the body from being able to release the toxins, we will just get sick again so the body can finish what it started.   What is causing the Symptoms? Fever is used to burn or incinerate the toxins from the body and expel them via sweat. Fevers are completely safe even up to 105 degrees. Fever reducing medicine will simply stop the body from being able to expel the toxins. Historically, when someone died of a fever it was thought that the fever itself was overheating and damaging the body. Remember, the body does not make mistakes. Consider that in an extremely toxic scenario, the toxins cannot get out fast enough and literally poison the person to death. In the case that a fever does get high to the point that you are worried, the herb White Willow is a beautiful, natural fever reducer. Headaches and pain are symptoms of inflammation, which is closely related to fever. Inflammation signals the immune system that there is a problem and activates various white blood cells. While analgesics may help deal with the pain – they are not tackling the root cause of the inflammation (whatever non-self the body has been exposed to). Mucus drainage, in the form of runny nose, sinus congestion and coughing is also generated by the immune system. The skin and the mucus membranes are the first line of defense and are the home of the innate immune system. The body uses mucus to flush irritating substances out of the body. The sooner the irritants are expelled, the sooner you will get well. So, instead of trying to inhibit these flushing mechanisms with suppressants and antihistamines, the best thing to do is actually HELP the body and encourage the removal/drainage. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea are also associated with the body wanting to flush toxins and expel irritating substances from the digestive tract. These symptoms are more problematic than mucus drainage simply because they cause rapid loss of bodily fluids and electrolytes. These fluids and electrolytes must be replaced, of course, but again – seeking to suppress these efforts of the body will not speed up recovery.   Working with, not against symptoms If symptoms are being generated by the immune system, it makes more sense to work with the immune system rather than against it. Experience has shown that helping the body flush the irritants while naturally boosting the immune response can dramatically shorten the duration of colds and flu. In fact, they can often be balanced in less than 24 hours – especially if you use the listed techniques at the first sign of getting sick. Based on the concept of working with the body, here are the tools to rapid recovery from colds and the flu.   So what is the answer? What actually helps to prevent and treat cold and flu as well as support a health terrain? Helping the body to flush irritants (this is what we call "boosting the immune system").   First: Stop Eating   Many people have the erroneous idea that you need to eat to keep up your strength while you're acutely ill. This is completely contrary to the natural instincts of both children and animals when they are sick. Eating solid food – especially refined sugar, refined grains, dairy products and heavy proteins, diverts body energies away from flushing the dis-ease from the body. The widely misunderstood statement of Hippocrates "Feed a cold, starve a fever" actually means, "If you feed a cold, you will have to starve a fever". If you need nourishment while you're sick, fresh fruit and fresh pressed veggie juices or organic soup or bone broth with turmeric are great things to snack and sip on to speed recovery. Why? If the body is bogged down by heavy digestive function, this takes a LOT of energy that needs to be diverted to the digestive system instead of detoxing (immune system).   Second: Rest and Drink Fluids   The old adage "rest in bed and drink plenty of fluids" is actually very good advice. While the body doesn't need solid food when it's ill, it absolutely needs fluids. Why? To help lift and flush toxins. Dehydration can lead to prolonging the sickness. Water is needed to support the mucus drainage, sweating and other eliminative functions. Herbal teas, especially those containing aromatic herbs like peppermint, chamomile and ginger, can be helpful. If you have trouble drinking plain water, you can add a little lemon juice for flavor. Also, only PURE water should be consumed, no tap water. Adding mineral salts is also ideal such as ½ teaspoon per day of Celtic sea salt. It is important to understand that stress reduces immune (detox) response while rest and relaxation enhances them. You are most susceptible to becoming sick when you're immune (detox) system is bogged down due to stress because you are not properly eliminating toxins. So instead of taking symptom suppressing medications in order to continue to work and "push yourself". TAKE A BREAK and let your immune system do it's work.   Third: Open the Eliminative Channels   The Chinese have a concept in their system of medicine called the we qi (pronounced way chee). This is an energy system (much like a protective energy shield) that protects the body from disease. We refer to this in the west as the bodies BioField. This energy pushes outward on the surfaces of the mucus membranes lining the lungs, digestive tract and skin. Herbs with a pungent taste, such as capsicum, horseradish and ginger, help to generate this qi energy. Think about what happens when you eat spicy foods; perspiration, runny nose, watery eyes and mucus clears from your throat. Eating enough of these spicy foods and you will encourage evacuation of your bowels. In short, these pungent herbs activate the energy that helps the body discharge whatever is irritating it. These spices are your best friend when you have a cold and can easily be added to broths, soups, teas and juices.   Four: Open the Sweat Glands   Perhaps you've heard the idea of "sweating out" a cold? Well, it really works! The skin is after all, the bodies largest elimination organ and remember – getting sick is a process of eliminating toxins. Natural medicine treats fever and diseases by opening and closing the "vents" of the body; the sweat glands, pores and capillaries. In this sense, we do not attempt to "kill" micro-organisms nor do we recognize that they are bad per say. Instead we change the environment which they live in, remove toxins and debris and restore any cellular deficiencies. When this happens, and there are no more debris, toxins or dead tissue to consume and the microflora will restore to normal. "Killing bacteria" does NOT take care of the root cause – that is why infection will often return time and time again when antibiotics are used. The bacteria come to eat – they're eaters not fighters. They come to aid us in trash removal. Don't let the trash build up and neither will they. If the trash does build up, help the body take out the trash and again there will be no need for "infection". Most native cultures used some sort of steam or sauna regimen. If you have access to one while sick, this is your best friend. If you don't, you can use an herbal sweat bath instead.   Herbal Sweat Bath Protocol: In your bath, make the water as hot as you can safely stand. Add essential oils of: lemon, lavender, rosemary, thyme and chamomile WITH 2 cups of Epsom salt. Soak for 15-20 Minutes. Once done, get in bed under lots of blankets.   Last step, cleanse the colon.   Encouraging colon detoxing can be incredibly helpful for rapid recovery from flu and cold. Clearing this pathway can also ease respiratory congestion, earaches, headaches, mild aches and pains. The fastest way to do this is at home with an enema. If you don't have the means to do this you can take 1-2 capsules of cascara sagrada or drink "Smooth Move" tea. Lobelia extract (about 15 drops) can be taken in addition to the herbs. Be sure to drink plenty of water when cleansing the colon. To be clear, the cleanse should not cause diarrhea but instead increase and encourage elimination and volume. If you are ALREADY experiencing diarrhea – then your body is already flushing the colon on it's own and it's actually good to help the body firm up the stool to increase recovery time. Activated charcoal and probiotics are great if diarrhea is occurring. You can take 1-2 capsules every hour of both until the diarrhea subsides or you reach the "max dose" on the bottle you're using.   Prevention is Best Obviously, it's better to stay healthy in the first place than to have to correct the body once ill. There are 3 keys to sick prevention: Detoxing Diet Supplementation   1. Detoxing: Don't wait, initiate. Run a full body detox every fall (before "flu season") and every spring once winter comes to a close. Many herbal companies offer full body detox kits. Be sure you have MUTIPLE formulas – that address Liver, Kidney, Blood, Lymphatics and Colon. If you are not sure, get a recommendation from a local naturopath or wellness practitioner. It is also a good idea to run a parasite cleanse during this time as well.   2. Diet: Aim for a diet of 70-80% ORGANIC plant bases (fruits, veggies, beans, legumes) and the other 20-30% can be other things you want such as animal products, processed grains, sugar etc. The point is to have a plant BASED diet – so most of the things going in are alkalizing and healthy. Fermented foods are another great way to keep the gut balanced. Thinks like kimchee, Kiefer, sauerkraut and kombucha are great. Some specialty fermenters are even doing things like fermented apple sauce, veggies and coconut Kiefer. Remember there is a difference between fermented and pickled.   3. Supplement: We've always been told that Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin D and C are good to take when we're sick and for general immune (lymphatic/detox) health but do you understand why? It is because these specific nutrients are vital to the cellular detoxification process among other functions. Instead of waiting until you're sick – take them year around and make sure you're getting enough! 10,000 IU's of D, 30mg of Zinc and a MINIMUM of 6,000mg of vitamin C daily. Take in divided doses, with meals Apple pectin is also an incredible supplement to consider taking year round. It binds to metals, toxins, and helps the body deal with radiation. If you live in a cold, dry climate or suffer from asthma, you may also want to take a Chinese formula for lung support. Some great oils to diffuse in the home include Cinnamon & Pine, Frankincense & Myrrh and Thyme, Oregano and Eucalyptus. And remember that the seat of your immune system is in the gut (so they can deploy bacteria to eat!) so taking a spore-form probiotic is a must in today's world.     Tue, 09 Jan 2024 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/12743/Is-there-a-cure-for-the-Common-Cold-and-Flu- http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/11601/Supplements-For-Melasma--Hyperpigmentation-And-Sun-Damage blog Pigmentation on the face, neck and chest can be embarrassing and continue to worsen with age. Typically, these issues are only treated topically and when we do this it's like only seeing the tip of the iceberg when there is more lurking beneath. If you have melasma, hyperpigmentation, liver spots, sun spots or sun damage you will notice that continued sun exposure exacerbates these conditions. In fact even if your face is fully shielded from the sun, if your body gets intense exposure your face can still shockingly show darkening pigmentation on your face. Why is this? Because free radical damage causes melanocytes to express melanin. The obvious source of free radical damage assaulting the skin is coming from the sun – but our bodies are fighting free radical damage 24-7 on the inside. This process is called oxidation, so when free radicals enter the body they oxidize (take our oxygen) in turn damaging both our cells and telomeres (these are the edges of the DNA stands). In order to fight this process, our body uses "anti-oxidants" to stop free radical damage.   Things like "age spots" are actually a combination of sun damage AND internal free radical damage. In fact some people who live in winter climates like Alaska will still suffer age spots on their body without the sun UVA factor. What does this tell us? We need to address free radical damage both ON the skin's surface and INSIDE the body. Some great sources of food anti-oxidants include berries – especially blueberries and acai. Olive oil and green tea are also full of anti-oxidants. Unfortunately, you could eat and drink them all day long and it's just not potent enough to make a difference on your skin. This is why we supplement.   Vitamin C Vitamin C is recommended topically for melasma, hyperpigmentation and age spots – because it's a powerful antioxidant. A high dose of supplemental vitamin C is the first anti-oxidant I recommend. A dose of 9,000 – 10,000mg per day, divided with meals. Starting with 6,000mg and working your way up by 1,000mg per week until you reach the full dose OR gut tolerance (diarrhea). If gut tolerance happens, reduce the dose. I have found however everyone is so deficient that they can easily take 10,000mg with no issues. Vitamin C is a natural tyrosinase inhibitor. Tyrosinase is the enzyme that tells melanin to express. The popular topical cream "hydroquinone" is also a tyrosinase inhibitor that can be toxic to the liver and actually cause lack of pigmentation in the skin so I don't recommend it.   N-Acetyl Cysteine The 2nd supplement I recommend is N-Acetyl Cysteine. Also a powerful antioxidant, NAC is the pre-cursor to glutathione production in our bodies which is our master anti-oxidant. This allows our hepatic glutathione pathway to function better and detox the body – especially from heavy metals which is an added bonus! NAC also helps with lung tissue, ovarian and breast cysts, PCOS and more. I recommend 1,000 – 1,500 mg three times daily with meals and the C at the same time.   Collagen If you also have sagging skin, throw in some collagen. Our collagen sits like bricks suspended in vitamin C to form what we call the skin's "collagen matrix". Other great anti-oxidants include CoQ10, Resveratrol, Grapeseed Extract. ALL of these will benefit your skin and your body and support the aging process. As mentioned above, these ingredients are crucial to use topically as well. That way you're treating the skin holistically and your body will thank you! I recommend taking a before photo and another photo after a full 90 days on the protocol to see the difference. Tue, 07 Mar 2023 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/11601/Supplements-For-Melasma--Hyperpigmentation-And-Sun-Damage http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/10930/Why-am-I-Having-trouble-conceiving- blog Women who struggle with conceiving, carrying to term or who have not had success with IVF may benefit from naturopathic hormone rejuvenation therapy.   There are many hormonal imbalances that may be preventing a natural pregnancy that leads to birth. Unfortunately, western medicine does not seek to find the root cause of these issues but rather tries to force the body into fertility or harvesting eggs by the use of synthetic hormones that are not native to the body. This is both costly, hard on a woman's body and does not always lead to pregnancy and carrying to full term with birth. The natural perspective on infertility is to first recognize that there is a REASON that your hormones are off balance. This can be toxic overburden that has thrown off the endocrine system, PCOS, over exposure to EMF radiation and/or a physiological impedance such as a prolapsed uterus. If the female anatomy is found to be "healthy" and it is just a hormonal issue, there is a natural way that you can engage with your body to support native hormone production that may lead to conception.   When we look at homeopathic hormone rejuvenation therapy in place of IVF and other HRT options there are a couple of things to understand. First, we have to "un-do" what has been previously done with unsuccessful IVF or HRT. This means that all of the synthetic hormones need to be detoxed, along with all of the body systems so that we can have a clean slate to work with. Potential root causes of hormonal imbalanced need to be assessed as well as an in depth look at where hormones currently are. These things take time and patience. Everyone always wants to know "how long does it take" but there is no canned answer for this. The process will be to heavily detox the body, remove the root cause, and use remedies to nurse the endocrine system back into balance. During this process, hormones may be monitored as often as every 30-90 days. What are two things you should avoid if you are struggling with infertility? Whether you choose to do our natural hormone rejuvenation to conceive or not, there are two things that I suggest ALL women avoid if you are trying to get pregnant. 1. Caffeine and alcohol. Since the liver is the processing plant for hormones, it is extremely important that no extra burden is placed on the liver while trying to conceive. ZERO alcohol should be consumed by a woman who is struggling with infertility, period. In addition to dehydrating you, alcohol raises liver enzymes, drops the immune system, kills brain cells and is a known carcinogen. It is literally poison. Caffeine, being a drug that effects the adrenals and cortisol along with the cardiovascular system, is dehydrating and extremely acidic on the Ph scale, should be avoided fully. When we work on trouble conceiving we will take a truly holistic approach to your body and case. This will include hormone balancing, root cause investigation, diet and lifestyle changes to put you and your future fetus in the most well state possible to reach a full-term pregnancy with birth.    Wed, 28 Dec 2022 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/10930/Why-am-I-Having-trouble-conceiving- http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/10912/The-Four-Types-of-PCOS blog Did you know that there are actually four types of PCOS? 10% of women worldwide are reported to have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). However, this syndrome is underdiagnosed and is suspected to affect many many more women. PCOS is a hormonal condition with various symptoms, such as ovarian cysts, painful periods, skipping periods, severe PMS, acne, excessive facial hair, blood sugar imbalances and persistent belly fat. It is most commonly caused by having higher levels of androstenedione (a type of testosterone hormone). Please know that if you've just received a diagnosis that you're not alone, and you've come to the right site for all the information you need to help manage it naturally! Let's first look at the PCOS symptoms and then learn about the four types of polycystic ovaries.   What is PCOS? A hormonal imbalance with notably high levels of androgens (or "male" hormones) like DHT, free testosterone and/or androstenedione. These elevated androgens that do not properly convert to estrogens cause ovulation problems, irregular periods, infertility, and common symptoms like acne and excessive body hair growth. You may also have trouble conceiving.   The four types of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome When it comes to diagnosing PCOS, there are four main types:   1. Insulin-resistant polycystic ovary syndrome Around 70% of women have this, making it the most prevalent. In essence, insulin resistance occurs because the body has higher-than-normal insulin or hyperinsulinemia. This happens when our cells become a little "numb" to the effects of insulin, causing the pancreas to secrete increasing amounts of the hormone until the cells understand what is happening. You can have trouble losing weight, carry extra weight in your belly, crave sweets, and experience weariness or mental fog. Increased androgen levels, which result in problems like too much body or facial hair, and acne; are caused by high insulin levels as well.   2. Post-birth control pill (BCP) polycystic ovarian syndrome Some people who quit using the oral contraceptive pill develop post-pill PCOS. In this type, symptoms like acne, irregular periods, or excessive hair growth didn't exist before consuming these drugs. After stopping, the ovaries produce an  increased amount of androgens, and they do not properly aromatase into estrogen like they should. This creates the classic symptoms of PCOS. There is no insulin resistance in this variety. Remember that while this can take some time to heal on its own, it can be managed more rapidly with proper nutrition, lifestyle adjustments, and supplements. This risk after taking birth control is why it is never a good idea to take birth control to try and manage your cycle or period symptoms. Birth control will only mask your symptoms and may cause more damage – like developing PCOS afterwords.    3. Inflammatory polycystic ovarian syndrome Chronic inflammation causes the ovaries to produce too much testosterone, which leads to physical discomfort and problems ovulating. Headaches, joint discomfort, unexplained exhaustion, eczema, and IBS are all indications of inflammation in this form of PCOS. A blood test often reveals elevated inflammatory markers, such as a high CRP (C reactive protein) above 5. Other tests, such as fasting glucose and insulin, are within the normal range but can show variations due to inflammation.   4. Adrenal polycystic ovarian syndrome Around 10% of women with diagnosed PCOS have this making it a little more rare. This type of PCOS is brought on by an aberrant stress reaction. High levels of testosterone and androstenedione are often absent, and DHEA-S, another form of androgen produced by the adrenal glands, will typically be raised alone. Unfortunately, when it comes to diagnosing PCOS, this sort of androgen isn't frequently evaluated unless you go through an endocrinologist or other expert. Naturopathic Endocrine expert Diana M Drake at www.dmdnaturalmedicine.com specializes in natural management of PCOS.    Skin Naturopathics PCO-Assist Kit Holistic PCOS Management If you wish to start healing your polycystic ovaries naturally, many supplements and holistic remedies can ease your symptoms. N-acetyl cysteine, Myo-inositol, berberine, zinc, vitamin D, and androgen-reducing herbs such as white peony, licorice, nettles, spearmint, and reishi mushrooms; are among the supplements that have been demonstrated to aid with PCOS.This is because these ingredients tend to push down androgen levels and balance blood sugars helping the overall hormone profile. Curcumin and quercetin are anti-inflammatory supplements that may be helpful, especially if you have inflammatory polycystic ovarian syndrome.  Full body detox protocols have also shown to be very beneficial for women with PCOS. This is because cleaning out the cellular receptor sites and toxins in the body will help the hormones to function properly and support normal periods.    However, remember that this hormone problem can be challenging to manage on your own. It is a complicated series of hormonal syndromes and because there is no "cure" you will need to manage this long term with supplements. The good news is, over time you will begin to see an improvement in symptoms. If you are having irregular periods, they should start to normalize over time. If you are having miserable, heavy and painful periods they should begin to get easier after 90 days on the correct protocol.  Fri, 16 Dec 2022 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/10912/The-Four-Types-of-PCOS http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/10094/H-Pylori-and-Rosacea---is-a-bacterial-infection-in-your-stomach-causing-your-Rosacea- blog Did you know that about 30 percent of the population is dealing with Helicobacter Pylori? This is a bacterial infection that leads to gastric issues but also other unwanted effects. In fact, plenty of research has proven the connection between this infection and some other medical conditions. These include migraines, iron deficiency anaemia, and Parkinson's disease. However, there have been some recent findings that have shown a connection between H. Pylori and the skin condition Rosacea. Today we are going to talk through the subject and establish a connection between these two conditions.   What are these? Rosacea is an inflammatory disease that tends to affect the central part of the face. This is characterised by redness and soreness, potentially acne, itchiness, and general discomfort on the skin. On the other hand, H Pylori is a type of bad bacteria, and it is the reason for the creation of gastrointestinal ulcers, chronic gastritis, and gastric cancer. Since it has been shown in recent discoveries that the H Pylori treatment can have an excellent impact on Rosacea acne, we begin to see how these are connected.   Methods and results If the presence of H Pylori is connected to Rosacea, then all individuals that are dealing with this skin condition should get tested for H.Pylori and a full gastrointestinal profile as well. Seeing what's going on with the microbiome and checking for this infection is incredibly important if you hope to get to the root cause of your facial rash. Understanding the relationship of rosacea to the gut, you can now understand why treating rosacea topically does not work. There are many additional triggers of Rosacea that will need to be managed as well. These include stress, exposure to sunlight, alcohol, spicy food, and even some cosmetics.  Western medical treatments for rosacea include the use of a low dose antibiotic and a steroid cream on the skin. Though it might seem that an antibiotic addresses the root cause (being the H. Pylori Infection) most people that stop the antibiotic, experience a return in their rosacea. This may be because putting an antibiotic into an already stressed microbiome is actually doing more harm than good. From a natural medicine perspective, we want to heal the microbiome rather than deplete it. Luckily, there are plenty of beautiful herbs and natural ingredients that can support microbiome health without completely wrecking the delicate ecosystem in the gut.   Some ingredients that maybe beneficial in reducing the load of H. Pylori Bacterial Infection include: Grapefruit: Capable of eliminating Helicobacter Pylori directly. These data make it possible to identify GSE as the ideal natural remedy to eradicate the bacterium from the gastric mucosa. Caprylic Acid: A medium chain fatty acid found in coconut oil that contains natural antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.  Calcium: Chronic H. pylori infection may alter calcium absorption, therefore supplementing with calcium is beneficial while dealing with this condition.    In addition to focusing on reducing the H. Pylori bacterial infection, proper microbial balance can be brought into the gut by incorporating probiotics, digestive enzymes and digestive tract balancing formulas.  Thu, 06 Oct 2022 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/10094/H-Pylori-and-Rosacea---is-a-bacterial-infection-in-your-stomach-causing-your-Rosacea- http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/9761/Mold---Mycotoxin-Toxicity blog Mold and mycotoxins can cause illnesses and diseases, even leading up to death in some extreme cases. You may be experiencing these symptoms of short term mold toxicity:   Runny nose Wheezing Red or itchy eyes, or skin   Severe reactions may include: Fever Shortness of breath   Long term exposure can lead to many chronic symptoms: Fatigue Brain fog Respiratory issues Sleep issues Lyme-mimicking sickness  Gut issues Many types of mold can be found in your home, if it has not been properly inspected. The most common type of molds found in homes are aspergillus, cladosporium and stachybotrys atra. Aspergillus is an allergenic mold that is typically found on foods and in air conditioning systems. Cladosporium can typically be found on the back of toilets, painted surfaces, and is known for forming on living and dead plants. While this type of mold is non-toxic, it can trigger allergy symptoms. It is also widespread and difficult to get rid of. Stachybotrys atra, also known as black mold, can cause hay fever-like symptoms like headache, sneezing, runny nose, red eyes and skin rash in a single exposure. Stachybotrys chartarum is a fungus that has become notorious as a mycotoxin producer that can cause animal and human mycotoxicosis. This type of mold can be found on soil and hay, and is often found on cellulose-rich surfaces. Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxins produced by mold. Mycotoxins, which are fungal metabolites, can be found in a variety of foods and alcoholic beverages, typically a result of contamination. Poisoning by mycotoxins is called mycotoxicosis. They are known to play a significant role in gut health and gut microbiota. Mycotoxins may modulate the gut microbiota with potential consequences for gut and host health. On the other hand, the gut microbiota may metabolize the mycotoxins thereby converting them to a form with different activity.   Mycotoxins can be eaten, absorbed into the skin, and inhaled, and have the ability to effect both animals and humans. The acute symptoms in animals include liver, spleen and kidney damage and toxicity to the immune system. For humans, nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances and vomiting have been reported. Ways to avoid mycotoxicosis would be to buy fresh grains and nuts. If you can buy locally produced foods or have access to organic food choices, these would help to avoid mycotoxins.   Be sure to store your food properly and not keep food for an extended period of time. Try to diversify your diet, regularly rotating different foods, and listening to your body.  Detoxing every spring and fall may help avoid an accumulation of mycotoxins in the body. A full body detox that includes the lungs, kidneys, liver and bowels with anti-fungal herbs is recommended. Some anti-fungal herbs that would be beneficial to mold and mycotoxin sickness include:   Pau D' Arco Garlic  Turmeric Olive leaf Tea tree oil  It is also easy to find great combination herbal blends for fungal infections. Generally speaking, any anti-fungal or candida clearing formulas will be beneficial to clear molds and mycotoxins from the body.  Blood and urine tests can help determine if you have an overburden in the body that is affecting your health. If you are suffering from long term exposure and toxicity, it will take more than just doing a twice a year cleanse to clear it. It's important to work with a natural practitioner that understands how to assess and clear fungal infections as it can be in depth and take time. Typically a combination of diet and lifestyle changes is needed along with a heavy detox protocol that may stem over several months.  The most important thing when dealing with molds and mycotoxins is that the exposure needs to be stopped. Therefore, if there is a leak in your home or office or a moldy drain for example - these will need to be fixed and remediated to prevent further mold growth. Air filtration systems can also be helpful in the home and office while figuring out where the source of the problem is and are good to keep ongoing to purify the air, especially if you are more sensitive.    Tue, 28 Jun 2022 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/9761/Mold---Mycotoxin-Toxicity http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/9744/6-Natural-Ingredients-to-Lower-Androgens--Testosterones--for-Women-with-PCOS blog PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by high levels of androgens (testosterones) that can negatively impact your overall health. While testosterones are an essential hormone that help with reproductive function, emotional well-being, muscle function and growth, libido, and much more, having an excessive amount can pose a problem. Hyperandrogenism is when the androgen levels are higher than they should be. This can lead to abnormal hair growth, balding, acne, loss of libido, infertility, insulin resistance and weight gain to name a few. While there are medicines and supplements that can be added to your daily regimen to offset some of these effects, many natural ingredients contain some of the vitamins and nutrients that can assist as well. This study from 2014 discusses the use of herbal medicine for the management of PCOS.   1. Nettle Nettle (Urtica dioica) has amazing anti-inflammatory benefits, helps the body detox, and assists with hormone balance. All parts of this plant have been used for medicinal purposes. The root of the plant is proven to have the ability to balance androgen and hormone levels. This medicinal herb works to optimize and stabilize the endocrine system, by binding to and removing excess androgen hormones in the body. It is loaded with Vitamins, C, B, and K, as well as choline, calcium, and magnesium. In addition, it helps with immune support, hair regrowth, lactation, and provides an energy boost. It is recommended that you take 240-250 mg once or twice daily between meals.    2. Zinc Zinc improves ovarian function thereby decreasing androgens and increasing progesterone, which is a natural androgen blocker.   Zinc also downregulates the enzyme 5 alpha-reductase and therefore reduces the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). In a recent clinical trial, zinc supplementation significantly improved hirsutism in just eight weeks. The recommended dose is 30-50 mg taken directly after dinner. Don't take zinc on an empty stomach, or it could make you feel sick. Read Why zinc is my favorite prescription for healthy periods.   3. Peony Peony (Paeonia lactiflora) inhibits the production of testosterone and promotes the activity of the enzyme aromatase, which converts testosterone to estrogen.   Peony has been known to influence low progesterone, reduce elevated androgens, and modulate estrogen and prolactin. This is a key fertility herb that regulates ovarian function and improves ovulation. When used in combination with licorice, it has been shown to modulate testosterone levels in PCOS. With prolonged use, the combination of these herbs help to improve pregnancy rates in those with PCOS. The typical dosage for peony is 1-3 grams up to three times a day.   4. Licorice Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) has natural anti-androgen properties, helps with inflammation, keeps adrenal fatigue at bay, and boosts immune and endocrine system function.   The glycyrrhizic acid, which can be found in licorice root, has been shown to induce regular ovulation and is a major contributing factor to the anti-inflammatory benefits of this herb. Licorice downregulates the enzyme (CYP17A1) that produces testosterone and contains phytoestrogens that downregulate androgen production and block androgen receptors. Together with peony, the two herbs have the synergistic effect of normalizing pituitary hormones. Peony & licorice combination did well in a 2017 clinical trial for PCOS. It is recommended that women with PCOS consume between 1-5 grams of licorice per day. Licorice raises blood pressure, so consult a clinician about safe use.   5. Reishi Mushroom Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) inhibits 5-alpha reductase which is the enzyme that converts testosterone to the more potent DHT hormone. Reishi  mushrooms are rich in antioxidants, assist with reducing blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol, which can increase the risk of insulin issues. This natural anti-androgen has many other health benefits including immune enhancement and stabilization of the HPA (adrenal) axis. When used in combination with the Maitake mushroom, they serve as an excellent treatment for PCOS insulin problems and improving gut health. Dosage can vary depending on which form of the mushroom you are taking, however to take advantage of the antioxidant properties, a dose of 0.6 mg/mL would be ideal.   6. DIM DIM (diindolylmethane) is a phytonutrient derived from vegetables such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, and kale. DIM has the ability to interact with both estrogen and testosterone receptors and may help support hormonal balance. It acts as a natural anti-androgen by blocking androgen receptors. Because DIM inhibits the aromatase enzyme, it could have the unwanted effect of decreasing estrogen, but clinically, I've found it to be quite effective for both acne and hirsutism. I would recommend a daily dose of 100 mg. So, If you suffer from PCOS (PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome) reaching for products that contain these herbs will make a great natural and safe remedy that can help get your testosterone levels back in balance. PCOS can be managed naturally and safely with supplements catered to your specific hormone profile. Thu, 23 Jun 2022 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/9744/6-Natural-Ingredients-to-Lower-Androgens--Testosterones--for-Women-with-PCOS http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/9561/The-PCOS---Acne-Connection blog We often think of acne as a skin problem, but it's really a hormone and inflammation condition. High testosterone levels plus inflamed skin lead to excess oil and an altered skin microbiome. Our skin microbiome is the collection of bacteria that reside on our skin and protect it. The result is oily, inflamed skin covered in unfriendly bacteria - a sure recipe for acne. This includes pimples on the surface and deep cystic acne. PCOS is a syndrome, not a disease; because it is diagnosed by identifying a specific collection of symptoms and ruling out other potential causes.  It is a systemic, whole-body disorder that affects metabolism, the immune system, the cardiovascular system, the gut, skin, the mind, and truly the entire body. At it's core it is a rhythm problem, meaning the hormones don't rise and fall properly within a 24 hour day or cycle properly with each month. PCOS can express with many symptoms including abnormal periods, painful periods, clotting, abdominal pain, insulin resistance,high blood sugar, high A1C, high cholesterol, weight gain, stubborn belly fat, anxiety, sleep disorders, infertility, heart disease, acne, facial hair, alopecia, miscarriage, obesity, skin tags, gingivitis and IBS. If gone unchecked, PCOS can lead to Autoimmune disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, fatty liver disease, mood disorders and pregnancy complications.   This condition is caused by a simple hormone irregularity that cascades into an incredibly complex condition. This hormone irregularity is an issue with aromatization; the body's process of converting androgens (testosterone) to estrogens. This process is initiated by the enzyme aromatase which is created in the ovaries (along with testosterone, also created in our ovaries!). When the testosterone meets aromatase, it is supposed to convert to estrogen. Though most estrogen aromatization takes place in the ovaries, the brain, gut, uterus, lungs and fat cells also make aromatase and convert androgens into estrogen because we need estrogen all over our body.  This broken process causes women with PCOS to generally have lower than normal estrogens. Our brains sense this estrogen deficiency which then signals the body to make more testosterone with the intention that it will be converted. So the body is making more testosterone but the estrogen production never quite catches up. This excess testosterone can actually damage estrogen receptors. In women, there are of course estrogen receptors in our vagina, uterus and breasts, but estrogen is not only a reproductive hormone. There are also estrogen receptors in the brain, the lining of the colon, the liver, and on both fat and immune cells. The cells in the pancreas that produce insulin also have estrogen receptors. Without estrogen, these cells cannot properly respond to blood sugar levels and produce the correct amounts of insulin. It is important to work with a practitioner who properly knows how to recognize the hormone profile and symptoms of PCOS, and also someone who understands the severity of this. You may be seeing someone for your anxiety and an OBGYN for painful periods but not put the puzzle pieces together to understand that you are suffering from ONE condition that is causing ALL of your symptoms.   Many topical acne systems aim to "kill" the bad bacteria on the skin's surface by the use of drying and anti-bacterial chemicals. The problem with this is two-fold; for one it kills the good with the bad and so instead of balancing the skin's microbiome we kill it completely while drying and damaging the skin in the process. Two, it does not address the root cause of the issue meaning we are not really healing or resolving anything - just putting on a temporary bandaid. Going on birth control is another "solution" that many young women turn to when they're young and have acne along with painful period symptoms. This, again, is only a temporary bandaid to a problem that will let the disease process continue, unchecked, for many years.  In order to have the most accurate data on your body, we suggest working with a practitioner that uses a hormone saliva test or DUTCH test (dried urine), rather than blood. You should also have an ultrasound done of the ovaries; which may - or my not - show cysts. You can still have PCOS without the physical manifestation of the cysts as sometimes these don't develop until years down the line. These cysts are actually developed follicles and evidence of a broken ovulation process.   When working on healing PCOS naturally there are 3 goals:    1) Reduce Inflammation  2) Normalize hormones and rhythms  3) Increase Insulin Sensitivity   Inflammation and PCOS The body treats chronic conditions like PCOS as chronic injuries which means chronic inflammation. Instead of your body healing, the inflammation makes you sick. It causes diabetes, heart disease, weight gain and cancer.   Hormonal rhythms & balance Hormones are chemical messengers that tell your body what to do and when to do it. In PCOS, your hormones don't cycle up and down properly within a 24 hour day; this causes anxiety, sleep disorders, infertility and weight gain.   Insulin sensitivity Insulin sensitivity is your body's ability to see and respond to insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar. PCOS makes you insulin resistant which means your body can't react to insulin and your blood sugar fluctuates more than it should. This is the same condition that leads to diabetes *type 2. Additionally, insulin resistance causes inflammation and heart disease. It raises your testosterone levels, which causes acne. It also keeps your body in fat storage mode so you perpetually gain weight and never burn it.  The information provided here is based on Dr. Felice Gersh, M.D. and author of PCOS SOS - a wonderful book that is a recommended reading for any women with PCOS. It can be purchased on Amazon. Whether you are a customer with acne or an esthetician who services clients with acne, it is incredibly important to understand if there is a possibility of PCOS. Understanding this as a root cause of many symptoms will help in your journey to both understanding and healing your skin condition.  Tue, 17 May 2022 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/9561/The-PCOS---Acne-Connection http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/8765/Balancing-Estrogen-Dominance-Naturally blog   Estrogen dominance can be frustrating and hard to balance. This is typically dealt with using hormone replacement therapy from your Doctor but if you prefer to go the natural route you have some much safer options using a combination of homeopathic and herbal remedies to balance hormones naturally, as well as locate the root cause of estrogen-dominance.     When dealing with estrogen dominance in a natural capacity, we want to address the root cause of how the estrogens got out of balance in the first place. This may be a sign that the body isn't necessarily making too much, but that it is not metabolizing it properly - causing a build up in the system that can throw other hormones out of whack. Just because estrogen is the "symptom" we want to make sure that we are dealing with overall balance of the entire endocrine system as well to make sure that everything is working and communicating properly. Rather than the use of synthetic, Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, we use natural remedies to heal the body instead since inputting hormones does not address the root cause.    Our process for healing estrogen dominance:  Step One: Ordering a Saliva Hormone Test or DUTCH Test (urine) hormone test (we don't use blood as this is the most inaccurate of all the test types) Step Two: Bio-Feedback analysis of the body to help determine the potential root causes Step Three: Custom hormone rejuvenation program is designed using homeopathy and herbs. There are no negative side effects to using these therapies. Step Four: Re-test in 4 months   Natural hormone rejuvenation for estrogen dominance takes time. We recommend a minimum of 6 months of in-office care to begin to see progress with estrogen dominance in men and women. Virtual appointments available. Tue, 12 Apr 2022 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/8765/Balancing-Estrogen-Dominance-Naturally http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/8777/Non-toxic-Homeopathic-Hormone-Balancing---how-does-it-work- blog Overview of Homeopathic Hormone Rejuvenation System used at DMD Natural Medicine This program is appropriate for: Both male and female clients Lack of periods Abnormal periods Low testosterone Low estrogen Estrogen dominance Low progesterone Peri-menopause Going through menopause Post menopause Women who have had a partial or full hysterectomy P.C.O.S. (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) Painful, heavy, clotty periods Severe PMS symptoms  Depression with periods (PMS Type D) Healing endocrine issues today is not as simple to assess due to medication usage, environmental, dietary and emotional stress. Therefore, we need better tools and an understanding that we are, in fact, helping the whole person including body, mind and spirit. Moreover, any health issue has an endocrine relationship. Hormone imbalances from PMS to post-menopausal complaints plague women of all ages. Men also suffer hormonal imbalances, which can lead to either aggression on one hand or to depression and low libido on the other. The Homeopathic Hormone Rejuvenation System (Created by Dr. Theresa Dale) is designed to balance hormones using non-toxic homeopathic remedies in place of either natural or synthetic hormone replacement. Recent evidence in medical literature has brought to our attention the side effects of synthetic hormone replacement. Even "natural" hormone replacement can also cause significant symptoms, including abnormal and toxic hormone levels and liver congestion. We will first look at the cause of hormone imbalances, then at the problems associated with synthetic and natural hormone replacement. In the Homeopathic Hormone Rejuvenation Program, the first step is to remove the blocks to healing, then detoxify the body (particularly the liver), and third is the use of Homeopathic hormone remedies to balance hormones, emotions and the nervous system. What are hormones? Hormones are messengers that your body uses to regulate its functions. The particular hormones we are concerned with are the steroid hormones. These include estrogens, progesterone, testosterone, pregnenolone, DHEA, cortisol and aldosterone. All of these steroid hormones are initially derived from cholesterol. The hormones are incredibly closely related molecularly - this is important as many of these hormones can be converted into another hormone very easily. For example, supplementing with DHEA can produce either testosterone OR estrogen. Most importantly though, is to understand that if you supplement with any ONE of these hormones, you can easily imbalance the entire system.  The Causes of Hormone Imbalance include Stress: Adrenal stress in one of the major causes of hormone imbalance. Diet (sugar, caffeine, alcohol, carbohydrates, poor nutrition) Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)  Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) Medication (Cortisone, anti-inflammatory drugs, glucose regulating drugs such as insulin, synthetic and natural hormone replacement including thyroid drugs, antibiotics, high blood pressure meds etc.) Dental Issues: Every tooth has an endocrine relationship. Dental material that is not biocompatible can be the source of hormonal issues (such as metal implants or fillings) Scar tissue: Energy flow blockages along acupuncture meridians can develop Environmental exposure to toxins (pesticides, radiation, EMFs, mercury, lead, any toxin) An imbalance in the Autonomic Nervous System: Causes can be structural, electromagnetic, chemical and/or emotional Chronic Stress as a cause of hormonal imbalance The results of chronic stress can affect the body in Four Phases and show the following symptoms at each stage: Phase One: Adrenal Adaptation Digestive problems Inability to calm down Prostatitis Increased serum cholesterol Severe weight gain or loss Menstrual problems Sleep disturbances Diarrhea A decrease in sex drive Phase Two: Adrenal Maladaptation Chronic fatigue syndrome ​​​​​​​Loss of libido Impotence Bloating and fluid retention Constipation Hair loss  Bone density loss Increased urination Low back or sciatica pain Phase Three: Adrenal Exhaustion Fibromyalgia ​​​​​​​Chronic nonspecific pain Heart arrhythmia Severe constipation Panic attacks or anxiety Bile Reflux and digestive problems Depression and mental frustration Memory loss and inability to think Sensitivity to smells, light or sound Difficulty breathing Inflammation Joint Pain Phase Four: Blood Sugar Events A hypoglycemic evet occurs when one cortisol level is elevated If two or more cortisol levels are elevated, a blood sugar disorder is likely to be present and/or a genetic predisposition.  The Dangers of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) We are continuing to find out the devastating effect of hormone replacement therapy on the human body. Research shows that ALL hormones that are taken or used internally or externally (including natural ones), have a negative effect. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), whether natural or synthetic, is based on the incorrect assumption that your body becomes incapable of producing appropriate hormones simply because we reach a certain age. Yes, your body does alter it's hormone production as you pass through the stages of your life, but hormone problems are a function of how healthy you are, not how old you are. Natural hormone usage has grown since synthetic HRT has been deemed toxic and a potential cancer risk. Millions of women are now using synthetic, natural "plant-derived" and synthesized "bioidentical" hormones. The problem for the consumer is education about product safety. Natural progesterone, estrogen, and wild yam creams can cause an extreme toxicity in hormone levels. If a woman's progesterone level is 100 and it jumps to 6,500 due to use of a cream, this becomes a toxic burden to the liver and immune system. Moreover, life-threatening symptoms can be easily camouflaged by using natural hormones. Viruses, bacteria, parasites or drugs can stress adrenal cortisol levels, causing hormone imbalance. Once the adrenals become stressed, symptoms like hot flashes, depression, mood swings, hair loss and weight gain can be experienced.  Any hormone replacement, whether it is natural or synthetic, actually causes the body to slow down the production of it's own natural hormones. This includes melatonin, DHEA, progesterone, and human growth hormone. HRT does NOT treat the cause of any problem. It only addresses and perpetuates the symptoms. If we use "natural" hormones, it is similar to placing a band-aid on a health concern instead of treating the cause. Someone with undiagnosed hepatitis C can easily have hormonal symptoms due to the fact that the liver conjugates hormones and the adrenals are stressed. If we use hormones to address the symptoms, the body might stop communicating the symptoms - this could lead a doctor or practitioner in the wrong direction and towards an incorrect diagnosis - which would be Hepatitis C in this example.  Since women are no longer willing to accept the risks associated with synthetic hormones and are searching for safer alternatives, they are vulnerable to the marketing concepts of "natural" hormone replacement being portrayed as a safe answer to HRT.  Hormone Replacement Therapy - Important FACTS Before and after test results reveal that synthetic, natural and bioidentical compounded hormones cause many problems including: The body shuts down production of it's own natural hormones. A dependence on the replacement hormones develops, aging the body. Toxicity burdens the entire body including the liver, kidneys, blood and the immune system. Hormone levels become toxic Hormone levels become elevated affecting cortisol levels Using these will cover up or camouflage the true cause which could also be life threatening   Effects of Estrogen Plus Progestin on Global Cognitive Function in Postmenopausal Women The Women's Health Initiative Memory Study: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Rapp et al.JAMA.2003; 289: 2663-2672 Findings from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS) published in the May 28th 2003 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association have revealed yer another downside to combination hormone replacement therapy (HRT)in postmenopausal women. Researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center found that the combination of estrogen plus progestin is associated with double the rate of dementia in women sixty-five years of age and older who took the hormones for an average of four years compared to those not on HRT. 4,532 women took part in this sub-study of the Women's Health Initiative, which was halted last year when it was discovered combination hormone replacement therapy was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and breast cancer. At the time that these findings were published, data on dementia risk had not yet been calculated.  Clinical Testing Toxicity Report Using 1,000 before and after salivary tests, 97% of all women using natural hormone replacement have toxic levels in their saliva test results. (Data taken from Dr. Dale's Wellness Clinic)  Progesterone Toxicity Symptoms Include: Weight Gain ​​​​​​​Hair Loss Loss of libido Depression Endocrine dysfunction Dementia Estradiol Toxicity Symptoms Include: Ovarian problems (tumors, etc) ​​​​​​​Breast lumps and uterus problems Cancer Heart disease Blood clots Depression Weight gain Excessive facial hair Gallstone risk Dementia Why risk using ANY hormones? More shocking statistics: 90% of women using "natural" and/or compounded progesterone or estrogens for more than 3 months from wild yam (soy) have elevated toxic levels, abnormal hormone ratios and cortisol levels and/or hormonal toxicity (overly increased hormone levels that burden the liver and immune system) 95% of women using HRT synthetic progesterone and estrogen have abnormal hormone ratios, estrogen dominance, abnormal cortisol levels and toxicity. 100% of women on synthetic hormones risk cancer. Toxic levels of synthetic hormones may take longer to indicate on serum (blood tests) as well as saliva.  1000 before and after saliva tests on women using the homeopathic hormone rejuvenation system show NO TOXICITY. Clinical testing reveals astounding results, including women with a complete hysterectomy. How doe it work on women who have had a hysterectomy? Once the ovaries are out the body is capable of converting hormone production to the adrenals. On a group of 1,000 women with hysterectomies who were tested before and after using a saliva test, 100% of women showed that their adrenal glands are making the needed hormones for their body and 95% of their symptoms have abated.   What exactly is Homeopathy and how is it used to create a hormone system? Homeopathy is a therapy developed by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann in Germany over 200 years ago and is the second largest used medical type on earth (next to "Western Medicine). It is a form of energy medicine Each remedy is very diluted and contains little, if any. of the original substance it was made from. The dilution of the remedy is called the potency and is shown by the number at the side of the remedy. For example, 6x means the remedy was diluted 1 in 10(x) and this was repeated 6 times. 30C means the remedy was diluted 1 in 100(C) and this was repeated 30 times.  In classical homeopathy only one remedy is given at a time. In complex homeopathy several remedies are used together to produce a synergistic broad spectrum effect, in the case of hormone rejuvenation we are using a combination of several remedies that have been imprinted into transdermal creams and sublingual drops.   Homeopathic remedies are derived from many of the original materials including botanicals, animal organs and glands, minerals, bacteria, chemicals, viruses, radiation, disease, poisons and hormones.  Very little, if any, of the original substance remains in a homeopathic remedy because it has been diluted so many times until only the imprint or "frequency" of the original substance remains. This frequency is used in the body as a remedy.  Sarcodes are one type of homeopathic remedy. They are made from healthy tissue and organs. They bring the specific organ back to correct function. The Homeopathic Hormone Rejuvenation System contains sarcodes and classical remedies. Only the energy of the material remains because of the level of dilution.  Caffeine, synthetic fragrance, X-Rays and radiation must be 100% avoided while taking homeopathy.  Conventional vs Advanced Homeopathic Approach to Healing Conventional: Treats only the symptoms​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Suppresses disease and the immune system Creates side effects Creates toxicity Causes the body to become addicted to hormones Treatment is based on diagnosis and classical symptoms with some individualization Homeopathic: Addresses symptoms and individual sensitivity ​​​​​​​Locates and heals at the root cause Heals through broad spectrum capabilities Has no side effects Has no toxicity  Homeopathy & Hormone Rejuvenation Homeopathic Remedies can improve progesterone uptake and metabolism. They also do not interfere with the normal shift from progesterone dominance to estrogen dominance during the month. Another fascinating factor in healing hormonal conditions with homeopathy is that homeopathics do not have any side effects because they contain only minute amounts of substances. Even though there are only trace amounts of therapeutic ingredients in homeopathics, clinical experience with these medicines shows that the infinitesimal doses they offer work on unconscious people, infants and animals and is therefore not a placebo effect. Homeopathy can be utilized effectively for hormone rejuvenation by stimulating production of natural hormones in the human body. The homeopathic substances that are used to treat endocrine and hormonal symptoms may be made from botanical and mineral substances in addition to healthy tissue or secretions of the body, such as hormones. Examples of homeopathic ingredients include chelidonium, which can address liver congestion; Sepia got hot flashes and sulphur for delayed menses and hot flashes. Whether applied topically or taken orally, homeopathic remedies can stimulate a healing response in the targeted organ, thus stimulating the normal functionality of that organ. Homeopathy is non-addictive and it does not replace any innate function of the body. It is truly healing the body, mind and spirit. As the client begins to feel better, the dosage can be lowered.  Homeopathic sarcodes actually stimulate a healing response in the targeted organ. Thus stimulating the normal functions of that organ. When healing hormone function using sarcodes, either orally or transdermally, the remedy will stimulate the organ to produce the correct amount of hormones to achieve balance. Homeopathic sarcodes are made from healthy tissue or secretions and each remedy contains a blueprint of a healthy gland, hormone or organ. A sarcode acts as a subtle amplifier of the natural function of an organ by giving off an electromagnetic (EM) signal that attaches itself to a similar signal or imprint. Within seconds of administration, the hypothalamus translates a picture of how the specific healthy organ or gland normally functions directly to that organ in your body and re-educates it.    Tue, 12 Apr 2022 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/8777/Non-toxic-Homeopathic-Hormone-Balancing---how-does-it-work- http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/8766/Folliculitis-of-the-scalp- blog What is the root cause of folliculitis? According to ancient Chinese medicine principles, the scalp is vectored to the kidney system. Therefore, the root cause of folliculitis can be a congested kidney system. Typically when people hear this, the first thing they want to do is have their kidneys checked with a blood or urine panel at their doctor. Depending on the situation, the kidney may or may not show up as distressed on lab reports. This is because an organ typically needs to be at 70-80% dysfunctioning before it ranks out of range on a lab report. In natural medicine we view the symptom of folliculitis as kidney distress and congestion rather than kidney dysfunction that needs to be lab tested. Alternatively, even if a kidney panel did come up out of range - that lab test, unfortunately, does not give us any idea as to the root cause.    When clearing folliculitis naturally, several things need to be addressed. First, identifying what is affecting the kidneys - this is done using a biofeedback device to analyze potential toxic build up in the body. The device uses an electronic hand cradle that hooks up to a computer and assessment software. Toxicity, bacterial and/or fungal infection may be  at work here and these things need to be fully understood to create the proper plan of action. Next, a customized cleanse protocol is designed to clean out the kidneys, the blood and lymphatic channels (as these provide vital new blood and lymph to the scalp). Additionally, the microbiome will need to be addressed since the digestive system feeds into the kidney system. Topical remedies will also be used to address the site of folliculitis on the scalp. We do not use antibiotic or steroid creams, as you may well know these don't work nor do they support proper skin healing.    During this process, it is imperative that certain dietary and lifestyle changes are made. This custom protocol will be designed for you while working with DMD Natural Medicine and virtual appointments are available. For virtual appointments, we send you the Biofeedback hand cradle and you simply plug it into your PC and connect to our software remotely. We ask for 90 days to begin to see a slight change and 6 months or more to fully clear folliculitis of the scalp. Of course, timing for healing will be heavily dependent on how complient you are with the protocol at home. If you are reading this you may be frustrated after having gone to multiple doctors or dermatologist appointments with no change. Typically, doctors will recommend antibiotics and antifungal medications with topical antibiotics and steroids. Since these things do not address the root cause, you may be looking to better understand the underlying conditions for folliculitis and seek to truly heal your scalp.  Tue, 12 Apr 2022 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/8766/Folliculitis-of-the-scalp- http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/8764/What-is-causing-your-itchy-skin-with-hives- blog Do you have red and itchy skin with hives? Are you looking for a natural solution that looks at the root cause? An overburdened immune system is often at the root of this combination of frustrating skin reactions. So what could potentially be overburdening your immune system? How can it be identified and what can be done to resolve it? First, let's take a look at potential causes of rash, redness and hives:   Toxicity: A buildup of toxins in your cells from overexposure that enters via food, water, vaccines, drugs and polluted air. These toxins may include:  Heavy Metals Pesticides & Herbicides Glyphosate Fluoride and chlorine (in water, these damage your microbiome, thyroid and pineal gland) Preservatives GMO Foods EMF's (Electromagnetic Fields) Chem-trails Petroleum products Chemical surfactants (household cleaners & laundry soaps) Molds and mycotoxins When your body becomes overwhelmed with toxins, your elimination organs become overwhelmed and your body attempts to purge these toxins via your skin, causing a histamine response or eczema.   The first step to healing the skin is identifying your particular root cause. We then make sure to eliminate further exposure, detox the toxins from the body and deal with the symptoms on the skin with cooling and antihistamine herbs and homeopathic remedies for hives and itching skin. Remember, healing hives and itching skin takes time! We recommend 6 months to begin to see a significant change.    Tue, 12 Apr 2022 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/8764/What-is-causing-your-itchy-skin-with-hives- http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/8538/Homeopathic-Hormone-Rejuvenation-for-Cycling-women--Menopausal-women-and-men-of-all-ages- blog Hormone imbalances are more prevalent than ever especially in young cycling women and men of all ages. Even women coming into menopause are experiencing more complications during this transition than ever before. There are a handful of readily available options provided by western medicine and marketed as "Bio-Identical" hormones. The reality is, these hormones are made in a lab - not by the body - and are therefore not bio-identical or native. They also carry some hefty negative side effects.   What are the negative side effects of hormone replacement therapy / bio-identical hormones / hormone pellets & hormone injections? An increased chance of breast cancer Tender breasts Breast lumps (In men) Digestive issues Hair loss Joint pain Memory lapse Mood swings Water retention Weight gain Nausea  Headaches  Double vision  Shortness of breath Chest pains Swelling or painful legs Jaundice Depression Skin Irritation Discolored stool or urine  What are the natural alternatives to hormone replacement therapy / bio-identical hormones / hormone pellets & hormone injections?   Homeopathic Hormone Rejuvenation! Now this is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT than what you know about hormone balancing so listen up...   1) We DO NOT REPLACE, we REJUVENATE. Instead of just putting - for example - testosterone or progesterone into the body we actually heal the bodies ability to make hormones properly on it's own. When your body isn't making enough of one or two hormones, this is a result of a broken communication chain in your endocrine system. To balance the body, we have to look at the entire system as a whole and not just focus on the one symptom - or the individual hormone(s) that are off.    2) We do not repopulate, we repair! It's difficult for people to grasp this concept but flooding the body with it's missing hormones only creates more confusion and does not address the root cause of the wrench in the system. It also atrophies your bodies ability to properly make it's own hormones. Homeopathic hormone rejuvenation is a wholistic system, that includes the frequencies of your entire endocrine system. It is an energetic medicine kit that is balancing and repairing on a cellular level, without any negative side effects. I'll say that again - there are NO NEGATIVE or DANGEROUS side effects when you use homeopathic remedies. And because the kit is balancing, you can use it on any hormonal situation regardless of your specific hormone profile.    What exactly is in the homeopathic system / kit?   The system includes a set of creams and sublingual tinctures (drops). Remember, these ARE NOT traditional hormone creams and are not used in the same capacity. These homeopathic formulas DO NOT contain any active hormones! Regular hormone creams typically have one specific active hormone in any given formula and need to be properly dosed out while monitoring the hormone levels in your body constantly. Homeopathic formulas, on the other hand, are frequency and energetic remedies that work with the body on a cellular level. Because of the balancing nature of this system, it is safe to be taken by anyone regardless of your particular hormone profile. They do not carry the danger of driving levels too high or creating negative side effects.    Is a hormone test necessary first? Hormone testing is always available (via an at home saliva test kit) but not always required. On women who are approaching menopause I typically offer the test as optional. Due to the balancing nature of the system, and already knowing that menopausal women will be low on sex hormones, it is perfectly acceptable to just give this kit to older women. Again, the test is always availalble to menopausal women if they choose. On younger women however, I do require a hormone test. We will also run a Bio-Frequency Scan to identify potential root causes for the endocrine imbalance. Remember, my goal is to find the root cause and remove any healing blocks while we are re-educating the endocrine system. The root cause coming into menopause is a natural change that the body is meant to embark on - even if it is earlier than expected. However on younger women we need to do a little more investigation in order for proper healing to occur.    What are the root causes of hormone imbalance in cycling women? In order of what I see in my practice here are the top things that throw off the endocrine system. This is why it is important to locate the root cause! Endocrine disruptors: These come into the body by way of food, water, cosmetics, pollution, vaccines, bad dental work, prescription drugs and toxic products that we use in our homes and in the environment.  Food sources would include things like pesticides and insecticides that are sprayed on the farm. Water contaminants such as chlorine, fluoride, heavy metals like lead and aluminum and many many more. Cosmetics are loaded with chemicals. This is why it is best to use organic products. This includes ALL make up, face wash, and skincare products. Many are made with petroleum (from oil) which is a huge no-no on and inside the body.  Air pollution carries many offensive toxins, carbon dioxide, gas fumes from cars and planes and, of course, chem trailing with various heavy metals. Vaccines no longer contain mercury, but now have aluminum instead. Still a heavy metal and major endocrine disruptor. Prescription drugs are petroleum-based products. They can over time overburden the liver - which is our processing plant for hormones.  Household cleaning products and laundry detergent that are not naturally derived, plant based and organic are highly toxic. They are not real "soap" they are chemical surfactants and other highly toxic substances. This is why kids die from ingesting household products. They are literally poison.  Also, personal care products like deoderant are full of metals and toxins, and toothpaste is another huge offender with fluoride and other chemicals. Dental work: If you have not worked with a holistic dentist and you have metal in your mouth from a filling, to a fake tooth post - these metals can spread in the body and need to be identified.   Stress. Although the adrenals are not "sex glands" they are a crucial part of communication in the endocrine system. Remember the system is a chain, if something goes down it can cause a symptom to express somewhere else in the chain. Typically I see a combination of adrenal fatigue combined with other factors. Chronic infections. These bog down the immune system and over time can absolutely affect proper hormone balance and communication. They especially exhaust the adrenals which is a huge factor as mentioned above. Types of infections that I most often see: Fungal / mold / mycotoxin toxicity Low grade chronic viral infection such as Epstein Barr, Strep, Staph or unknown from getting sick a lot as a child. Bacterial overburden, which can be present in the gut, lymph, blood etc.  All of these reasons are why it is important to work with a practitioner that is versed in finding YOUR root cause, if truly healing the body is something that is important to you. Unfortunately when you go to a "traditional" hormone clinic to get creams or pellets, they do not typically do this type of investigation of the root cause. Nor do they heal or balance at the root cause. Their goal is only to replace what the body is lacking so that you feel better, at least for a time.    So what exactly is an endocrine disruptor and how can it throw off the glandular / hormone system?   An endocrine disruptor looks ALMOST like a hormone in the body. Think of hormones as keys that unlock a communication site (receptor) in the cells of your glandular system. The cell receptor feels an endocrine disruptor and thinks it's the right key (a hormone) so it opens up and lets it in - but the key doesn't fit QUITE right. So now that cell is unable to have communication because the wrong key is plugging up where a healthy hormone should be instead. Remember hormones are just little communication messengers.    We have many more than just our female and male parts making hormones. We have a whole glandular system that works together in beautifully synced communication to control temperature, sleep, ovulation, sperm, immune cells, trash removal, metabolism, energy, fight or flight and so much more! All in all our glandular system includes:   Ovaries & Mammary Glands on women Testes and prostate on men The Thyroid gland Lymph glands Saliva glands Adrenals Thymus  Hypothalamus & Pituitary....   So you see there are SO MANY working parts to this system! Homeopathic Hormone Rejuvenation addresses/balances sex hormones and their related commuication pathways. In this sense we are truly healing the body on a cellular level.   How long does it take to work?   Because we are actually healing the body, understand that this process takes a little more time to work than with traditional hormone replacement therapy. We want a full 90 days on the system before we re-test hormone levels if we are tracking this and a minimum of 6 months on the kit altogether. Depending on your age and root cause, herbal formulas may also be brought in to target specific ailments to your condition, making this a truly customized experience for your body. You will also be responsible for other diet and lifestyle recommendations at home that will help the body to heal. The biggest ones will be eliminating the use of caffeine and cleaning up your water supply. Everybody is different and how your body works, how long it takes etc. is only up to your body. If you are currently using caffeine on a daily basis and are reliant on it for energy, please wait until we meet in person because there will be a specific protocol to ween off and there are supplements that will help you during this process so that your energy is not depleted.    If this information sounds exciting for you and feels aligned with your beliefs in healing the body then please reach out for an initial visit! Tue, 15 Feb 2022 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/8538/Homeopathic-Hormone-Rejuvenation-for-Cycling-women--Menopausal-women-and-men-of-all-ages- http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/8447/The-Dr--Ardis-Flu-and-Cold-Protection-Protocol---Year-Around-Immune-System-Support blog Fri, 04 Feb 2022 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/8447/The-Dr--Ardis-Flu-and-Cold-Protection-Protocol---Year-Around-Immune-System-Support http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/8441/8-Amazing-Tips-For-Flu-Season blog Fri, 04 Feb 2022 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/8441/8-Amazing-Tips-For-Flu-Season http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/7592/Podcast--A-Deep-Dive-on-Electromagnetic-Fields---A-Full-Flu-Covid-Prevention-and-Care-Protocol blog Apple/iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-drake-urges-us-to-stop-microwaving-ourselves-a/id1566176543?i=1000545568283 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/66DBGz7yUkozw29KiBmx7a MP3 File: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1771444/9757066-dr-drake-urges-us-to-stop-microwaving-ourselves-a-discussion-on-emfs-and-more.mp3?download=true   Fri, 14 Jan 2022 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/7592/Podcast--A-Deep-Dive-on-Electromagnetic-Fields---A-Full-Flu-Covid-Prevention-and-Care-Protocol http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/6960/Natural-Alternative-Hormone-Replacement-Clinic-in-Lone-Tree blog Are you looking for an alternative to Bio-Identical Hormones and HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy)? Have you tried hormone injections, hormone pellets, creams or patches and are experiencing negative side effects or are no longer feeling as well as you did when you first began them? Here at DMD Natural Medicine we offer Homeopathic Hormone Rejuvenation Programs for Men and Women of all ages. Unlike traditional hormone clinics that "replace" hormones that are lower in the body (due to age or toxicity) here we use homeopathic remedies and frequency therapy to naturally address imbalances in the endocrine system. These remedies actually correct the communication pathways and synapses in the endocrine system, allowing for proper chemical communication (hormone production and activity.) Wheather you are looking to address low testosterone, low progesterone, estrogen dominance, elevated cortisol, P.C.O.S. (elevated understanding) or are going through menopause, we offer the best truly natural and holistic approach over any other hormone clinic in Colorado. We are also happy to service distance clients via telephone and virtual appointments. Talk to us ASAP by booking an absolutely free 15 Minute Phone Consultation to discuss your hormone therapy case.  Q&A What are the costs of homeopathic hormone rejuvenation? The program averages $299/month for the first 3 months and drops down to $150/month thereafter. Keeping in mind that our programs are customized to your specific needs which may cause a change in the base price.  Are there any contraindications for taking homeopathic medicine? Yes, caffeine must be stopped to properly implement a successful homeopathic regimen. HOWEVER, we have a supplement program to follow while you are detoxing from caffeine that will give your body energy and support the adrenals during this process so you will not have headaches or be sluggish. Being that caffeine is an addictive drug, there is a multitude of benefits from being off of it but one of the most rewarding things about it is feeling naturally energetic without having to drink coffee or tea in the morning.  What if I don't want to stop caffeine? Can you still help me with my hormones? Yes. We have other natural programs available that do not involve homeopathic medicine, we can discuss these options with you and all will depend on the severity of your particular situation. If you have additional symptoms including having trouble sleeping, stress, anxiety, cardiovascular issues or fatigue, then coming off of caffeine will be a very important step towards getting better.  Do you offer hormone testing? Yes. We offer Saliva Hormone & Cortisol Testing. This is a $350 at home saliva test kit that you will take home and provide the lab with 5 saliva samples over a 12 hour period. This is how we get the most accurate hormone and cortisol reading, these tests are incredibly more accurate than blood testing.  Is this program good for someone approaching menopause or who suspects it is around the corner? Yes. If you suspect that menopause is close, our Homeopathic Hormone Rejuvenation Program may help prevent the uncomfortable negative side affects associated with going through menopause. If you are already going through menopause or are post-menopausal, this program can help regulate your natural production of hormones.  Does this type of hormone therapy help with sex drive and libido? Yes. And we can also add some supplements to customize your program that can kick start your libido naturally as well.  What if I have had a hysterectomy? Will hormone rejuvenation work for me? Under the right circumstances, the adrenals can pick up the slack of hormone production once the ovaries are gone. This will be evaluated on a case by case basis and may require some simple adjusting to provide additional support for the adrenals.  Tue, 16 Nov 2021 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/6960/Natural-Alternative-Hormone-Replacement-Clinic-in-Lone-Tree http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/6953/Natural-Care-for-Vaginosis-and-Vaginal-Yeast-Infection blog Do you suspect a vaginal infection due to itching, discharge or foul odor? Bacterial Vaganosis and Candida Vaginal Fungal Infections may be healed using a combination of homeopathic and herbal medicines. The vagina is actually a detox pathway for women, so when an infection expresses vaginally it can typically be traced to an issue in the gut. This is why some women are "prone" to get these infections over and over again, because it's not being properly treated at the root cause. When perpetually treating it ONLY vaginally with inserts or biologics like Fluconozole or antibiotics, the microbiome still continues to go unbalanced then the infection will return. This can be very frustrating for women.  When we look at this issue in a holistic manner, several key things will be addressed: Determining if it is fungal, bacterial or both. This is done using a frequency scanner, muscle testing, or if the symptoms are obviously pointing more towards one of these. Reviewing the client's diet and making particular restrictive changes until the infection clears. Using herbal and or homeopathic anti-histamines to address the uncomfortable itch. Restoring proper balance to the micro biome using supplemental probiotics, pre-biotics, enzymes and gut restoration formulas. Implementing a natural topical cream or gel if needed. The advantage of taking the natural healing route for this condition is that once it clears we have now addressed and balanced the route cause which means the body is less likely to get stuck in a relapse cycle. Once the infection clears, it will be important to continue on the gut restoration protocol for a full 90 days to properly populate and restore gut micro flora.   If you need help with a vaginal infection, please book an "Urgent Care" appointment via the website.This appointment can take place via phone, in person or virtually. Wed, 10 Nov 2021 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/6953/Natural-Care-for-Vaginosis-and-Vaginal-Yeast-Infection http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/6747/Why-Topical-Treatments-Won-t-Clear-Your-Acne blog Wed, 08 Sep 2021 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/6747/Why-Topical-Treatments-Won-t-Clear-Your-Acne http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/6578/Can-you-clear-melasma-naturally- blog Can you get rid of melasma? Are there natural treatments available for melasma? What are the root causes of melasma? Melasma is a FRUSTRATING condition where the melanocytes are over-expressing, causing dark pigment in the face. The pigment gets especially dark with exposure to the sun and some women report the melasma beginning or worsening with pregnancy or certain hormonal birth control. Western medical and dermatology treatments include the use of hydroquinone, a chemical tyrosinase inhibitor that stops the melanocyte from being able to express melanin. Skin lighteners that contain bleach-like ingredients are also commonly used. But as well all know, once you stop using the creams, the melasma returns. So what is the root cause of this condition and how can we correct it holistically? In my practice I have found that a hormonal imbalance is a common thread for those who come to me with this condition, estrogens especially need to be balanced here. We start with a saliva hormone test to get your baseline and a protocol of herbal and/or homeopathic remedies are used. Additionally when balancing the hormones, xenoestrogens and endocrine disrupters need to be removed from the cellular receptor sites. This means deeply detoxing the bodies elimination organs is key as well as preventing further contact with xenoestrogens in the future. Sources of xenoestrogens include plastics, cosmetics, toxic home cleaning products and chemicals in our food and water supply. Topical therapies include hydroquinone-free, bleach-free and non-toxic redox technology anti-oxidant creams that are applied daily. There are also some herbal supplements that help the body adjust to exposure to radiation from the sun. During this process, it is imperative that sun exposure on the face is completely eliminated.  For those women who are coming of birth control, it is important to understand that it will take additional time to re-balance the body - and in general healing melasma naturally will take time and patience. If you are suffering from melasma and would like to discuss this natural protocol, please use the "Book Consultation" button on the website to schedule a complimentary phone call. Help is available weather you are located in Lone Tree / Denver Colorado area or are out of state.  Tue, 13 Jul 2021 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/6578/Can-you-clear-melasma-naturally- http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/5492/Everlywell-Food-Sensitivity-Tests blog EverlyWell has created a line of at-home food sensitivity testing that can help you to determine what foods you should eliminate from your diet. While I am a big proponent of figuring out what foods could be irritating you, sometimes just eliminating these foods isn't enough. While I do feel that their at home test is a GREAT place to start, you may find that you still have lingering issues even when those reactive foods are removed. If you discover that after taking an EverlyWell Food Sensitivity test and removing those foods does not resolve your gut issues, you may want to seek the help of a professional naturopath or wellness practitioner to finish the job. Sometimes food sensitivities can be attributed to gut damage that needs to be healed before the gut can properly digest things. There are many things that can go wrong with the upper and lower digestive tract that cause terrible symptoms such as: - Gas - Bloating - Pain - Diarrhea - Heartburn - Upset stomach - Acne - Skin Rash - Eczema - Skin issues   You also may have been professionally diagnosed as having SIBO, GERD, Chrones, IBS, diverticulitis or others. Things that may be the culprit besides food sensitivities are:  - Pathogenic infection (like GERD, H. Pylori, SIBO) - Too low production of HCL in the stomach - Stomach Ulcer - Leaky Gut  - Inflammation in the intestines  - Food allergies This is why its important to work with someone who understands both the symptoms and causes of these imbalances.  Heres the cool part - just like the EverlyWell Food Sensitivity test that can be taken in the privacy of your own home; no matter where you are in the U.S. you can also work with DMD Natural Medicine Virtually from any city and state to balance your gut and resolve digestive issues. Sign up for a FREE 15 Minute Phone consultation at a time convenient for you. If you have already taken the EverlyWell test we are happy to review your results with you at no charge as well.    Thu, 11 Mar 2021 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/5492/Everlywell-Food-Sensitivity-Tests http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/5332/Holistic-Healing-for-Leaky-Gut blog Leaky gut is a byproduct of intestinal inflammation. When the intestinal membranes become inflamed, they lose structural integrity. This allows partially digested food and irritants to enter the blood stream. Imagine for a minute that your sewer or septic system started backing up into your kitchen. It's not a pleasant thought is it? Yet, many people have a similar problem happening right inside their own bodies due to intestinal permeability.  Numerous physical and mental health problems have been linked with this leakage in the intestines, including ADHT, Autism, Depression, Allergies, Asthma, and skin conditions like acne, eczema and psoriasis. Leaky Gut Syndrome may also be a factor in auto-immune diseases like Hashimoto's thyroiditis, arthritis, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia.  The intestinal inflammation that causes leaky gut is brought on by a combination of factors. These include drugs (antibiotics, birth control pills, NSAIDs, chemotherapy agents, etc.), infection, parasites, food allergies and chemicals. Many people don't realize that processed foods, soda, and fast food are riddled with toxins. Even produce is sprayed with toxic pesticides and herbicides that hurt the body. Enzyme deficiencies and high carbohydrate diets are also contributing factors. Because the intestines do not absorb nutrients correctly when they are inflamed, fatigue and bloating is also a symptom/side effect. Leaking toxins also burden the liver, which acts as a second line of defense to eliminate substances absorbed from the intestines that the body doesn't want in the general circulation.  When large, undigested food particles are absorbed because of excessive porousness in the membranes, they trigger immune reactions. This can hypersensitize the immune system, resulting in allergic and autoimmune reactions. The inflammation also damages carrier proteins that help nutrients to be assimilated. This can cause nutritional deficiencies. Finally, the damaged intestinal membranes also allow bacteria, viruses ans yeast to pass more readily into the system to damage other organs and systems.  Reducing intestinal inflammation and rebuilding damaged intestinal membranes to stop gut leakage can help numerous health problems. With the supervision of a health professional, these are the 7 steps that can be taken to heal leaky gut naturally: Step One: Avoid intestinal irritants, such as food allergens (work with a practitioner to identify these allergens specific to you), food additives, drugs and chemicals. You will also need to get on a "Gut Healing Diet" that is custom tailored to you.  Step Two: Improve digestion and increase stomach acid. Step Three: Eliminate harmful organisms from the digestive tract. If parasites or bacterial overgrowth is part of the problem, these organisms need to be eliminated using natural therapies - not antibiotics. Fungal infections may be a problem as well. This is why it's important to work with a qualified naturopath to properly identify these pathogens and curate a plan for safe removal that wont damage the client or their gut.  Step Four: Bind intestinal toxins and improve colon transit time. Colon transit time is the length of time it takes for material to travel from one end of the alimentary canal to the other. In a healthy colon, this should be about 18-24 hours. To test your own colon transit time, eat food that "dyes" the stool (like beets or liquid chlorophyll) and see how long it takes the color to show up in the stool being eliminated. If it takes more than a day, then you have a sluggish colon transit time.  Step Five: Reduce intestinal inflammation. This is important to promote tissue regeneration and repair.  Step Six: Plug the leaks, meaning restore the integrity of the intestinal membranes.  Step Seven: Repopulate the colon with friendly bacteria.  People are amazed with how many health problems disappear and with how much better they generally feel when they heal their intestinal tract by reducing inflammation and putting a halt to gut leakage.  FDA DISCLAIMER - These statements and any information contained on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is intended for educational purposes only and is not meant to substitute for medical care or to prescribe treatment for any specific health condition. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Consult individual products labels for safety information. THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE - The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.  Thu, 18 Feb 2021 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/5332/Holistic-Healing-for-Leaky-Gut http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/5049/Benefits-and-Information-about-PEMF-Therapy--Pulsed-Electromagnetic-Field-- blog Most people trying any new wellness therapy are concerned and should be about its safety and side effects. This article reviews safety and side-effects studies on pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy. As per published research, PEMF therapy has been proven to be beneficial for a variety of disorders that affect the brain as well as the whole body. The PEMF book covers many the latest trends in research on pulsed electromagnetic field therapy. We also endeavor to find out the extent of healing that happens in various conditions due to PEMF therapy.  Now, it's also important that those looking to buy PEMF devices should be aware of the studies and research on the side-effects of PEMF therapy. Most PEMF brands do caution against using PEMF therapy if you have a pre-existing heart condition. Expecting Mothers and children should also not use PEMF therapy as it can affect their growth with long-term use. Please read the contraindications provided by the manufacturer as well as consult a professional before using PEMF. How safe is PEMF therapy? PEMF is considered as a safe and non-invasive healing therapy. PEMF works on the same principles as transcranial magnetic stimulation, which is applying PEMF to the brain. TMS (Trancranial Magnetic Stimulation) has been studied for side-effects and safety a lot more. Following published research studies and clinical trials have studied the safety of using TMS therapy long-term: 1. Anderson B, Mishory A, Nahas Z, et al. Tolerability and safety of high daily doses of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in healthy young men. J ECT. 2006;22(1):49-53. [PubMed] 2. Reddy M, Vijay M. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Depression: State of the Art. Indian J Psychol Med. 2017;39(1):1-3. [PMC] 3. Mantovani A, Pavlicova M, Avery D, et al. LONG-TERM EFFICACY OF REPEATED DAILY PREFRONTAL TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION (TMS) IN TREATMNT-RESISTANT DEPRESSION. Depress Anxiety. 2012;29(10):883-890. [PMC] As we can see, long-term pulsed magnetic field therapy has been proven to be safe for brain. It's important listen to your body and when in doubt always consult a professional who knows about using PEMF treatment. Approaching professionals who do not have experience with a particular type of treatment will almost always be counter-productive as they will not be able to guide you with a protocol they don't understand.  Side effects of PEMF Therapy Known for no adverse side effects, PEMF therapy is deemed quite safe. But here are a few things everyone who wants to use PEMF therapy must know before they start experimenting with PEMF devices. Pulsed Electromagnetic Field therapy affects blood circulation, improves cellular regeneration, stimulates neurons, has an anti-depression effect, and enhances the  absorption of medications and nutrients. So depending on the user's condition, lifestyle and nutrient/medicine/supplement intake, the effects vary from user to user.  If you are on thyroid supplements, you might need to regulate intake. This article about PEMF therapy for Thyroid has more details which discuss the side effects of PEMF therapy for those with Thyroid issues. Secondly, when using PEMF therapy for better sleep, it might take a while for results to start showing. As the therapy is using low powered magnetic fields, it can take up to a month for those with chronic issues to see results. But rest assured, it's a drug-free method and has beneficial short-term and long-term effects as per our experience. Some people report a mild headache after their first few PEMF therapy sessions. Since Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields stimulate neurons1 and enhance cellular repair2, these effects are are related to sensitivity and are usually temporary in 99.99% of the cases we know of. Eventually, the pain relief3 effects start appearing after the user is acclimatized to the magnetic field. Others report no such symptoms and take to PEMF like fish to water with zero negative side effects of PEMF therapy. This NASA study from 2002 shows that PEMF therapy is capable of switching the state of several matured genes into developmental stage, thus causing anti-ageing effects. This is perhaps the reason it works particularly well for neurological conditions that come with old age. Lastly, you may experience uncomfortable sensations specially if you have autonomic dysfunction or have neurotoxicity due to your environment or an infection. Fatigue, agitation, weakness, dizziness or vertigo, increased urination (although the frequency of night time urination reduces with PEMF therapy long-term), and warm/cold sensations might manifest. These can also be indicators of your body's requirements for correct nutrient intake. It's time to consult a nutritionist when such effects are experienced. Nutrition is key to best results with PEMF, as cells can't repair even when well stimulated if nutritional deficiencies exist. Avoid using multiple PEMF devices simultaneously, as it the pulsating magnetic fields might interact.  To conclude, PEMF therapy is considered to be one of the safest wellness technologies and can be applied easily at home by almost everyone. Side effects of PEMF therapy are rare, mild, and temporary. 1. Vincenzi F, Ravani A, Pasquini S, et al. Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Exposure Reduces Hypoxia and Inflammation Damage in Neuron-Like and Microglial Cells. J Cell Physiol. 2017;232(5):1200-1208. [PubMed] 2. Mohammadi R, Mahmoodzadeh S. Combination of Local Transplantation of In Vitro Bone-marrow Stromal Cells and Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields Accelerate Functional Recovery of Transected Sciatic Nerve Regeneration: A Novel Approach in Transected Nerve Repair. Curr Neurovasc Res. 2015;12(3):222-231. [PubMed] 3. Ganesan K, Gengadharan A, Balachandran C, Manohar B, Puvanakrishnan R. Low frequency pulsed electromagnetic field–a viable alternative therapy for arthritis. Indian J Exp Biol. 2009;47(12):939-948. [PubMed] Wed, 02 Dec 2020 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/5049/Benefits-and-Information-about-PEMF-Therapy--Pulsed-Electromagnetic-Field-- http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/4392/The-Many-Dental-Triggers-of-Hashimoto-s blog According to functional medicine, the gut is at the center of autoimmune disease. This is why there's often a focus on symptoms of intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and other digestive distress as possible indicators of autoimmunity. What most people don't realize, though, is that the gut isn't just the stomach and intestines but the mouth, too. When we consider the many potential triggers of autoimmune thyroid disease, we have to think about our mouths—especially the teeth and gums. An abscess, infection, root canal, dental surgery, dental X-ray, fluoridation procedure, amalgam fillings...all are possible igniters of autoimmune disease. Could an unknown or unaddressed dental issue have triggered your thyroid condition? I recommend beginning to think about your dental timeline to see if you can trace any decline in your health to a dental procedure. In the meantime, let's look at some of the potential dental triggers of Hashimoto's and how you might address them so that complete healing can happen. Trigger #1: Infections and Inflammation in the Mouth There are several potential causes of inflammation in the mouth—all of which will need to be resolved before you can recover fully from Hashimoto's. Impacted teeth. Impacted teeth can create inflammation around the root of the other teeth and can lead to gingival inflammation, periodontitis, and tooth decay. If you've been eating a "modern" diet containing flour, sugar, and processed vegetable fats, developing tooth decay is more likely, and adopting a more ancestral diet may help with preventing new onset tooth decay. Mouth bacteria and dental infections. Mouth bacteria, abscesses in the mouth, and even hidden infections can lead to gut dysfunction and trigger autoimmune disease. A dental abscess is a collection of bacteria usually present in the gums surrounding the teeth. An abscess usually looks like a boil on the surface of the gums and is very painful. The bacteria from the abscess can stimulate our immune systems and drain into the gut creating digestive symptoms. You can often prevent dental infections through the use of oral self-care, but in many cases, the infections will need additional interventions from the dentist, such as antibiotics, draining, or even surgical intervention. Symptoms may include dental abscess, jaw pain, and/or headaches. Recommended Treatment Plan: If you have not had a dental X-ray or dental exam in over a year, or currently have a dental issue, be sure to make an appointment with your dentist ASAP. Some dental infections may be "silent" and only a dental exam will reveal their presence—this means even if you don't have obvious signs or symptoms of a dental infection, it's a good idea to get an exam if it's been over a year. Trigger #2: Periodontitis While periodontitis is also related to inflammation, specifically inflammation of the gums, I've separated it out from the triggers above because it's often found in Hashimoto's patients. Pathogens in our mouths that cause periodontitis have been suggested to contribute to rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto's by activating an inflammatory response. (1-7) Periodontitis can lead to receding of the gums, loose teeth, and eventually tooth loss, and can be worsened by fluoride—the very substance added to our water and toothpaste to prevent tooth decay! Symptoms may include bleeding gums (especially with brushing or flossing), puffy gums, receding gums, plaque buildup on teeth, loose teeth, bone loss in the jaw, and bad breath. Recommended Treatment Plan: Periodontitis has been connected to dental dysbiosis or an imbalance of bacteria in the mouth. The conventional dental approach to periodontitis may involve scaling and root planing, where the roots of the teeth are scraped and cleared out to allow for better gum reattachment, surgery and gum grafts, as well as utilizing the antibiotic doxycycline to restore a better bacterial balance. Doxycycline penetrates the gums 7-20 times more effectively than other drugs, which means it can get to those deeper gingival crevices where pathogens can hide. While previous research implicated oral bacteria in triggering periodontitis, I was excited to learn that French-Canadian dentist Dr. Mark Bonner has found that most cases of periodontitis are caused by two parasitic infections of the gums: Entamoeba gingivalis and Trichomonas tenax. Entamoeba gingivalis was found in 69 percent of diseased gingival pockets but was absent in healthy gum tissue. This bug is transferred from person to person through kissing and may also be present in dogs, cats, and horses. The parasite Trichomonas tenax may be found in another 5 to 20 percent of periodontitis cases and is also found in people, cats, and dogs. Dr. Bonner has created a protocol that involves the use of pharmaceuticals (antiparasitics, antifungals, antibiotics) and advanced dental cleaning methods and testing of the periodontal pockets to ensure eradication of Entamoeba gingivalis and Trichomonas tenax and a return of healthy gum flora. He reports that this method is a cure for periodontitis and has trained over six hundred dentists on the method. For more information on Dr. Bonner's protocol and additional dental guidance, I recommend his book To Kiss or Not To Kiss. (8,9) While Dr. Bonner has trained over 600 dentists worldwide on his protocol, the majority of trained dentists are in French-speaking countries. He has started to host seminars in English, and dentists in the US are beginning to take notice as well. Overall, I've noticed reduced gum inflammation in Hashimoto's patients after using gut balancing herbal protocols such as the ones in the Rootcology Gut Reset and prescription antiprotozoal agents, such as metronidazole (Flagyl) and Nitazoxanide (Alinia), which have activity against amoeba. However, herbs and prescription medications without the dental cleaning methods may not be able to penetrate the gingival pockets deeply enough to get to all the organisms. Another consideration is that this amoeba is passed through person-to-person kissing, so you may also want to make sure your kissing partners are treated accordingly. Trigger #3: Dental Procedures Dental procedures, such as a tooth extraction or root canal, can lead to less-than-obvious infections which must be resolved if you want to feel completely better. Tooth extraction (that leads to cavitation). When you have a tooth or teeth extracted, there is a risk for a cavitation to occur. A cavitation is a hole in the jaw that can collect bacteria while open, and then as the jaw heals over it, bacteria is trapped inside and ultimately leads to infection. Root canals. Root canals are dental procedures that are done when the root, or inside of the tooth, becomes infected. During this procedure, the tooth is cleaned out and the nerves and insides of the tooth are removed, but the root and tooth are left in the mouth—essentially leaving a "dead tooth."  Many of these teeth can harbor infections and when the nerve of the tooth is removed, we are less likely to sense them. Symptoms may include deep jaw pain, sensitivity to hot and cold, headaches and/or migraines. Recommended Treatment Plan: For cavitation as caused by tooth extraction: If your symptoms started post wisdom tooth removal, you may want to work with a biological dentist to rule out this type of infection. The cavitation can be drained and cleaned out by this type of dental professional. For root canals: If your symptoms began after a root canal procedure, it may need to be cleaned out surgically by a dental specialist or have the tooth removed. Unfortunately, these infections are more likely to be inaccessible to antibiotics. Trigger #4: Amalgam Fillings Amalgam fillings, called "silver" fillings, contain 50% of mercury by weight. They also contain small amounts of silver, tin, copper, and zinc. Amalgams are a major source of mercury exposure in the general population, accounting for two-thirds of human mercury exposure. Mercury is continuously released from the fillings—every time a person chews—as mercury vapor is not a chemically stable compound. Rates of absorbed mercury from amalgam fillings range from 9 to 17 mcg/d, with an uptake estimate of 12 mcg/d. Research has shown that mercury from amalgams does accumulate in thyroid tissue. The more mercury fillings a person had, the higher amount of mercury was deposited in their thyroid gland. Symptoms may include digestive issues, joint pain, fatigue, brain fog/trouble concentrating, and hair loss. Many of the symptoms related to mercury exposure overlap with those seen in Hashimoto's. (Read what Carrie experienced with amalgam fillings.) Recommended Treatment Plan: If you have Hashimoto's and amalgam fillings, I encourage you to have the MELISA (Memory Lymphocyte Immunostimulation Assay) test. This test can detect hypersensitivity to metals and environmental toxins and help you determine whether removing your fillings should be a priority. (10,11) If you do need to have your amalgam filling removed, it's critical that you have them removed safely. When done improperly, the process can cause you to breathe in additional, possibly large doses of mercury vapor—a big problem if you have the MTHFR gene mutation and intestinal permeability (an excess of mercury exposure all at once can overburden your detox pathways). Many of my clients have reported an onset or increase in Hashimoto's symptoms after improper amalgam removal. Proper precautions for safe removal of dental amalgams (to prevent the absorption of mercury vapor into your body) include the use of the following: rubber dams oxygen mask and skin cover (for you) extra suction to help evacuate the vapors away from you activated charcoal rinse after the procedure, which can bind up residues N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) or other liver support supplement before/during/after your amalgam removal (very helpful) Liposomal Glutathione – At my recent book signing in Chicago, one of my readers, a biological dentist, mentioned remarkable improvements in people with mercury toxicity through the use of Liposomal Glutathione. I've also had clients and readers report huge benefits with this product, however, I have one hesitation in recommending it—it does have soy, so it's not appropriate for people who are soy sensitive (60-70% of people with Hashimoto's). For best results, before undertaking the removal of dental fillings, I recommend building up your resilience by completing my Fundamental Protocols, the Liver Support Protocol, Adrenal Balancing Protocol, and the Gut Balancing Protocol, before getting amalgam fillings replaced. The success of removing amalgam fillings is highly dependent on your body's ability to clear toxins. Most people with Hashimoto's already have a toxic backlog, and as the body's primary detox organs are the liver, skin, and gut, the Fundamental Protocols will give your detox capabilities extra support. The protocols can also be done afterwards. [Check out my newest book Hashimoto's Protocol: A 90-Day Plan for Reversing Thyroid Symptoms and Getting Your Life Back for the comprehensive Liver Support and Gut Balancing Protocols.] Trigger # 5: Incompatible Dental Materials Fillings, onlays, bridges, braces, plastic aligners (like Invisalign), and other types of materials used for dental work may trigger an immune response in some individuals. This is a sign that the materials used may be incompatible with your own unique biochemical makeup. Again, what's important here is that you become familiar with your dental timeline—can you trace your symptoms back to the introduction of any of the materials or dental alignment tools mentioned above? Even "tooth-colored fillings," referred to as dental composites, can be an issue for some people who may be sensitive. Some composites contain BPA, a known thyroid toxin, which can be released from dental materials and potentially cause symptoms to develop. Recommended Treatment Plan: If you want to determine if you are sensitive to the chemical and materials in your dental work, I recommend seeking out a biological dentist who works with Clifford Materials Reactivity Testing (www.ccrlab.com). (12) With the exception of Invisalign, it may not be feasible to remove materials used in dental work. It may also not be entirely necessary. Before going to extreme measures, I recommend that you introduce protocols into your life that can boost your detox abilities and substance tolerance. It's also important that you—and anyone else with an autoimmune condition—start working with a biologic dentist to get tested for biocompatibility. Going to a biological dentist will help ensure that any future dental work will be done using only the safest materials for your distinct biochemistry. Trigger #6: Dental X-Rays Even small amounts of radiation have been found to be of detriment to the thyroid gland, so it's wise to limit your exposure to radiation. Recommended Treatment Plan: For this potential trigger, it's not so much about a treatment plan, but a strategy for minimizing your exposure in the future. Here are two things you can do: Get digital X-rays rather than film x-rays because they are safer overall and provide less radiation. Use a thyroid shield/guard. A lot of dental assistants may only give you a chest guard, but don't let them pressure you into doing the X-rays without properly protecting your thyroid gland. You can also purchase your own thyroid guard to bring to appointments with you. Trigger #7: Fluoride Fluoride is a substance commonly used in dental treatments, but what many don't realize is that this ubiquitous chemical is directly toxic to thyroid function. In fact, fluoride used to be prescribed to treat hyperthyroidism up until the 1950s because of its thyroid-suppressing activity. (13-26) Most adults in fluoridated communities are ingesting between 1.6 and 6.6 mg of fluoride per day from water, which is more than enough to suppress thyroid function. Fluoride may act as a trigger in inducing thyroid cell death and inflammation and lead to the development of thyroiditis/autoimmune thyroiditis. (13-26) To remove fluoride, you have to know where to find it, and you'll probably be surprised by some of the sources: dental treatments, certain medications, supplements, bottled beverages, teas (especially the red and black varieties), canned food items, chewing tobacco, toothpaste, and water (in fluoridated communities) can all contain fluoride. Recommended Treatment Plan: Some people have reported improvement in thyroid symptoms and thyroid function tests following removing fluoride from their lifestyle. You can only remove fluoride from water by distilling it, using reverse osmosis filtration systems, or activated alumina defluoridation filters. Most other filters do not remove fluoride. One of the most convenient and cost-effective reverse osmosis water filters out there is AquaTru's countertop filter. I have one in my bathroom that I use on a daily basis! It's super easy to setup (no plumber required!), and I feel better knowing that I'm brushing my teeth and washing my hands with purified water. This is also a great option for apartments or other places where you can't adjust the plumbing. Plus, the wonderful people at AquaTru have been so generous to offer my readers a discount! Another option is having a plumber or handyman install an under the sink reverse osmosis unit. These typically cost around $200 and provide a consistent, daily source of water without fluoride. I recommend that you use the fluoride-free water for cooking and drinking, for your pets, and family. It should be noted that boiling water concentrates the fluoride instead of getting rid of it, while freezing the water does not affect the concentration of fluoride. Bottled water isn't a safe go-to either since some contain fluoride (see http://fluoridealert.org/content/bottled-water/ for more information). (27) Water delivery services will deliver fluoride-free water to your home or office, if installing your own filter isn't an option. If you want to get more involved, join the Fluoride Action Network (http://fluoridealert.org/),  an advocacy organization dedicated to broadening the awareness of fluoride toxicity. (28) In addition to removing fluoride from your day to day life, you can also utilize supplements to help you recover from long term fluoride use. A recent study done in rats has shown that taurine, a major constituent of bile, can partially alleviate thyroid dysfunction caused by fluoride! Taurine and other bile boosting ingredients can be found in the Rootcology Liver & Gallbladder Support. (29) Another study in mice showed that the amino acid GABA can also have a protective effect! (30) Getting Better Dental Care I've mentioned the term "biological dentistry" here a few times, and I want to give you a better understanding of what this is exactly because I truly believe it to be a safer way to maintain a healthy mouth—something we've established is important to your overall health—especially if you have Hashimoto's or other autoimmune disease. Biological dentistry is a branch of dentistry that looks at the connection between oral care and the health status of the rest of the body. While most traditional dentists focus only on "rescue care" rather than prevention, biological dentists try to prevent health problems that may originate from exposure to certain procedures and materials. Biological dentists have advanced training in using biocompatible materials in dental procedures and in the removal of amalgam fillings (which can sometimes be a trigger of Hashimoto's). To find a biological dentist in your area, visit the International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology's website at www.iaomt.org for a listing. If you find a dentist in your area, I suggest you call and "interview" the biological dentist in advance of scheduling an appointment. Here are the questions you should ask: Do you perform Clifford Materials Reactivity Testing for your patients? Do you use a thyroid shield for X-rays? Do you use a rubber dam for removing mercury fillings? Do you perform the MELISA test? What You Can Do at Home: Recommended Self-Care Steps for Better Dental Health Of course, one of the most vital factors in maintaining healthy gums, teeth, and mouth is our own self-care practices. Some consistent, focused effort here can minimize the need for invasive dental work (anything beyond a cleaning) and reduce inflammation. Let's look at a few strategies you can implement on an ongoing basis that will help improve and maintain oral health. Create an alkaline environment Dental cavities are related to the pH of our mouth, which allows for specific bacterial species to proliferate, as well as the nutrition we take in. Cutting back on sweets, soda, tea, and coffee, and following any of my Root Cause-approved diets, can help reduce the acidity in the mouth. You can also try brushing your teeth with baking soda for one week to help create an alkaline environment in the mouth, making it more difficult for the pathogenic bacteria to survive. Use a proper tooth-brushing method Many of us are not familiar with proper brushing techniques. While brushing your teeth, aim at the gum line, as that's where most of the pathogenic bacteria live. You can do this by angling your toothbrush up to reach upper teeth and angling it down to reach lower teeth. The most helpful way to brush is through applying gentle pressure and a jiggling motion; Sonic toothbrushes can do the work for you. Flossing is also an important daily habit to start as this will help to dislodge food particles (aka, food for the pathogenic bacteria). Eliminate pathogenic mouth bacteria Eliminating pathogenic mouth bacteria can be challenging as the mouth bacteria form biofilms, also knows as dental plaques, that protect them from the usual methods of removal. Some strategies that may help eliminate bacteria are: Water picking: Using a waterpik may be helpful in displacing pathogenic bacteria, allowing for their removal. Oil pulling: Oil pulling is an old Ayurvedic remedy of swishing around sesame oil or coconut oil in the mouth and between the teeth. To try: First thing in the morning, put one tablespoon of either sesame or coconut oil in the mouth and swish around for 5-20 minutes until the oil turns white. Then, the oil is spat out along with the toxins in it. In theory, this method helps to break down the "homes" of bacteria, which are usually made of microcapsules of oil. While water won't penetrate those microcapsules, sesame oil can, and mixes readily with the bacteria and becomes white in color. Cranberry juice: Cranberry juice has been found to have anti-adhesion properties which prevent the attachment of the bacteria to our body's surfaces and may also help to dissolve the protective coats that store the bacteria. Oral probiotics: Oral probiotics are an accelerated way of getting beneficial bacteria into our mouths so that they can displace pathogenic bacteria and reduce inflammation in the mouth. Dr. Jeffrey D. Hillman was able to identify strains of probiotic bacteria from volunteers with healthy teeth and gums. He isolated these bacteria and put them together in a probiotic mix called ProBiora3, which can be found in EvoraPlus. This type of bacterial mix works to crowd out the pathogenic bacteria and has been reported to whiten teeth, reduce gum bleeding, inflammation, and biofilms of pathogenic bacteria. The probiotics are available as orally dissolvable mints that are to be taken twice per day for 30-90 days. You can also try a probiotic toothpaste. Designs for Health makes PerioBiotic toothpaste, a special probiotic toothpaste that is free of fluoride and triclosan and packed with probiotics. The key to getting the most benefit from this toothpaste is to forgo rinsing your mouth after brushing your teeth, allowing the beneficial bacteria to stay in your mouth longer. It feels strange and first, but eventually, you will get used to it. I recommend trying and continuing with some of the self-care steps I've introduced here. If you find you want a more comprehensive routine, visit page 326 of Hashimoto's Protocol for the Root Cause Basic Dental Protocol. Next Steps Dental triggers of Hashimoto's are frequently overlooked, but you now know that dental history must be considered when thinking about potential igniters of autoimmunity. Have any of the triggers outlined here sparked an aha moment for you? Have you addressed a dental trigger and noticed that it helped resolve any Hashimoto's symptoms or just made you feel better in general? I hope this information will help you on your journey! References 1) The Cranberry Institute – Dedicated to supporting research and increasing awareness about the health benefits of the cranberry. Cranberryinstituteorg. 2017. Available at: http://www.cranberryinstitute.org/. Accessed June 22, 2017. 2) Patil B, Gururaj T, Patil S. Probable autoimmune causal relationship between periodontitis and Hashimotos thyroidits: A systemic review. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice. 2011;14(3):253. doi:10.4103/1119-3077.86763. 3) Fluoride Linked To Gum Disease. Medical News Today. 2017. Available at: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/71584.php. Accessed June 22, 2017. 4) Vandana K, Sesha Reddy M. Assessment of periodontal status in dental fluorosis subjects using community periodontal index of treatment needs. Indian Journal of Dental Research. 2007;18(2):67. doi:10.4103/0970-9290.32423. 5) Dittmann R. Brighton Baby: A Revolutionary Organic Approach To Having An Extraordinary Child. Bloomington, IN: Balboa Press; 2012. 6) Diabetes Self-Management – Diabetes Articles and Recipes. Diabetes Self-Management. 2017. Available at: https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com. Accessed June 22, 2017. 7) Foundation A, Price A, Directors B et al. Home – The Weston A. Price Foundation. The Weston A Price Foundation. 2017. Available at: http://Westonaprice.org. Accessed June 22, 2017. 8) Bonner M. To Kiss Or Not To Kiss. A Cure For Gum Disease. Editions AMYRIS; 2013. 9) Bonner M, Amard V, Bar-Pinatel C et al. Detection of the amoeba Entamoeba gingivalisin periodontal pockets. Parasite. 2014;21:30. doi:10.1051/parasite/2014029. 10) Mercury allergy – MELISA. Melisaorg. 2017. Available at: http://www.melisa.org/mercury/. Accessed June 22, 2017. 11) Sterzl I, Prochazkova J, Hrda P et al. Removal of dental amalgam decreases anti-TPO and anti-Tg autoantibodies in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis. . 2006. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16804512. 12) Welcome to Clifford Consulting & Research Online – North American English version. Ccrlabcom. 2017. Available at: http://www.ccrlab.com. Accessed June 22, 2017. 13) Fluoride Linked To Gum Disease. Medical News Today. 2017. Available at: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/71584.php. Accessed June 22, 2017. 14) Easy Ways To Remove Fluoride from Tap Water. ThoughtCo. 2017. Available at: http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryhowtoguide/a/removefluoride.htm. Accessed June 22, 2017. 15) Choi A, Sun G, Zhang Y, Grandjean P. Developmental Fluoride Neurotoxicity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2012;120(10):1362-1368. doi:10.1289/ehp.1104912. 16) Fa-Fu L et al.The Relationship of a Low-Iodine and High-Fluoride Environment to Subclinical Cretinism in Xinjiang. Slweborg. 2017. Available at: http://www.slweb.org/IDD.html. Accessed June 22, 2017. 17) Fluoride Action Network | Mikhailets (1996): Functional state of thyroid under extended exposure to fluorides. Fluoridealertorg. 2017. Available at: https://fluoridealert.org/studies/mikhailets-1996/. Accessed June 22, 2017. 18) Water C, Council N. Fluoride In Drinking Water. Washington: National Academies Press; 2006. 19) Susheela A, Bhatnagar M. Excess Fluoride Ingestion and Thyroid Hormone Derangements in Children Living in Delhi, India. The International Society for Fluoride Research. 2005. Available at: http://www.fluorideresearch.org/382/files/38298-108.pdf. Accessed June 22, 2017. 20) Fluoride Action Network | Thyroid. Fluoridealertorg. 2017. Available at: http://www.fluoridealert.org/issues/health/thyroid/. Accessed June 22, 2017. 21) Basha P, Rai P, Begum S. Fluoride Toxicity and Status of Serum Thyroid Hormones, Brain Histopathology, and Learning Memory in Rats: A Multigenerational Assessment. Biological Trace Element Research. 2011;144(1-3):1083-1094. doi:10.1007/s12011-011-9137-3. 22) Zeng Q, Qui Y et al. Studies of fluoride on the thyroid cell apoptosis and mechanism. Neuro Endocrinol Lett.2012. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22800594. 2012. 23) The Controversial Link Between Fluoride and Thyroid Disease. Verywell. 2017. Available at: http://thyroid.about.com/od/drsrichkarileeshames/a/fluoride2006.htm. Accessed June 22, 2017. 24) Nabrzyski M, Gajewska R. Aluminium and fluoride in hospital daily diets and in teas. Zeitschrift für Lebensmittel-Untersuchung und -Forschung. 1995;201(4):307-310. doi:10.1007/bf01192722. 25) Fluoride Action Network | F.A.Q. Fluoridealertorg. 2017. Available at: http://www.fluoridealert.org/faq/. Accessed June 22, 2017. 26) Fluoride Action Network | Considerations When Buying a Water Filter. Fluoridealertorg. 2017. Available at: http://www.fluoridealert.org/content/water_filters/. Accessed June 22, 2017. 27) Fluoride Action Network | Fluoride Content of Bottled Water. Fluoridealertorg. 2017. Available at: http://fluoridealert.org/content/bottled-water/. Accessed June 22, 2017. 28) Fluoride Action Network | Broadening Public Awareness on Fluoride. Fluoridealertorg. 2017. Available at: http://fluoridealert.org/. Accessed June 22, 2017. 29)  Adedara I, Ojuade T, Olabiyi B et al. Taurine Ameliorates Renal Oxidative Damage and Thyroid Dysfunction in Rats Chronically Exposed to Fluoride. Biological Trace Element Research. 2016;175(2):388-395. doi:10.1007/s12011-016-0784-2. 30) Yang H, Xing R, Liu S, Yu H, Li P. γ-Aminobutyric acid ameliorates fluoride-induced hypothyroidism in male Kunming mice. Life Sciences. 2016;146:1-7. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2015.12.041. Tue, 28 Jul 2020 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/4392/The-Many-Dental-Triggers-of-Hashimoto-s http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/4391/Deadly-Rainbow--Will-5g-Precipitate-The-Extinction-Of-All-Life-On-Earth- blog In his recently revised and updated book The Invisible Rainbow: A History of Electricity and Life, scientist Arthur Firstenberg has made both science and history comprehensible by explaining the importance and significance to life on Earth of a vital consideration that has long been 'invisible': electricity. Indeed, as Firstenberg makes clear, if we want to understand life on Earth, we cannot do so without understanding the role that electricity plays in making life possible, healing it and, if abused, threatening us all. Firstenberg's book is unusual on at least two counts. Based on decades of scientific research, he carefully explains each point in language accessible to the non-scientist while documenting his case with exceptional clarity and detail complemented by a 138-page bibliography. If you want to really understand this issue, and what is at stake, you will be doing yourself a favor by reading this book. The Universe, Electricity and Life: In Brief As Firstenberg's subtitle promises, his book includes a history of electricity and its role in the Universe but particularly on Earth. 'Almost all of the matter in the universe is electrically charged.... The stars we see are made of... charged particles in constant motion. The space between the stars and galaxies, far from being empty, teems with electrically charged subatomic particles, swimming in vast swirling electromagnetic fields, accelerated by those fields to near-light speeds. Plasma is such a good conductor of electricity, far better than any metals, that filaments of plasma – invisible wires billions of light-years long – transport electromagnetic energy in gigantic circuits from one part of the universe to another.... Under the influence of electromagnetic forces, over billions of years, cosmic whirlpools of matter collect along these filaments, like beads on a string, evolving into the galaxies that decorate our night sky.' The Milky Way, the galaxy in which Earth is located, is a medium-sized spiral galaxy that is 100,000 light-years across; it rotates around its center every 250,000,000 earth years, generating around itself a galactic-size magnetic field. Filaments of plasma, 500 light-years long, generate additional magnetic fields. Our sun, also made of plasma, sends out an ocean of electrons, protons and helium ions in a steady current called the solar wind. This wind bathes the Earth before diffusing out into the plasma between the stars. The Earth, with its core of iron, rotates on its axis in the electric fields of the solar system and the galaxy, in turn generating its own magnetic field that traps and deflects the charged particles of the solar wind wrapping the Earth in an envelope of plasma called the magnetosphere. Some of the particles from the solar wind collect in layers we call the Van Allen belts where they circulate 600 to 35,000 miles overhead. The sun also bombards the Earth with ultraviolet light and X-rays. In addition, atomic nuclei and subatomic particles (known as cosmic rays) shower the Earth from all directions as well. It is these cosmic rays from Space and the radiation emitted by uranium and other radioactive elements in Earth's crust that provide the small ions that carry the electric currents that surround us in the lower atmosphere. It is within this electromagnetic environment – a fairly constant vertical field averaging 130 volts per meter – that all life, including Homo Sapiens, evolved on Earth. In fair weather, the ground beneath us has a negative charge and the ionosphere above us a positive charge. 'Electricity courses through the sky far above us, explodes downward in thunderstorms, rushes through the ground beneath us, and flows gently back up through the air in fair weather.' This happens in an endless cycle as about 100 bolts of lightning, each delivering a trillion watts of energy, strike the Earth every second. Every living thing is part of this circuit. The current enters our heads from the sky, circulates through our meridians, and enters the earth through the soles of our feet. This current provides the energy for growth, healing, and life itself. See 'Putting the Earth Inside a High-Speed Computer'. The strength of the atmospheric electrical current is between 1 and 10 picoamperes (trillionths of an ampere) per square meter. Dr. Robert Becker found that 1 picoampere is all the current that is necessary to stimulate healing in frogs.... It is these tiny currents that keep us alive and healthy. See 'Planetary Emergency'. The fundamental point about all this is simple: The Earth is incredibly delicately balanced with a great many forces making up this balance and thus making life possible. One of the many ways in which we have been disrupting this balance is by disturbing the global electrical circuit, that evolved over eons and sustains all life, without paying genuine and sincere attention to what we are doing and what this means for the Earth and all of its inhabitants, including us. Given the profound implications of generating 'electric pollution', some might label this behaviour insane. It is certainly unaware. Human-Generated Electricity on Earth It was in 1746 that scientists were finally able to 'capture' electricity so that a start could be made on using it directly for human ends. Sure, the wider implications of its use were not considered but it offered opportunities not previously available. And when the damage from its use, on humans and other living organisms, started and then rapidly picked up pace, the association between the spread of electricity (particularly through the telegraph wires in the mid-nineteenth century and electric lighting a few decades later) and the adverse health and environmental impacts were not made, or ignored when they were. And so diseases not previously recorded in the medical literature started to appear: anxiety disorder, influenza, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. But it wasn't just us that was impacted; so were the other living organisms of our planet. And now we are bathed in the 60-cycle current in our house-wiring; the ultrasonic frequencies in our computers, Wi-Fi routers and modems; the radio waves in our televisions; the microwaves in our cell phones and the electromagnetic radiation generated by everything from baby monitors to 'smart' devices of all kinds, as well as the vast network of satellites, transmission towers and power lines all endlessly but variably impacting, adversely, virtually every human being on Earth. And if 5G is deployed, there will be nowhere on Earth that is safe for humans, insects, birds, animals and plants. We will have fundamentally altered the very conditions that made the evolution of life on Earth possible. An exaggeration? Here is the briefest sample of the damage existing human-generated electromagnetic radiation is causing life on Earth. Forests Apart from being logged mercilessly, burned down to create cattle or soy farms or palm oil plantations, destroyed by the endless proliferation of mining for various mineral resources including coal and oil, damaged by dam construction, wildlife poaching and the extraction of resources like rayon, viscose and modal to make clothing, and adversely impacted in many other ways, forests are being destroyed by electromagnetic radiation inflicted by humans. While acid rain and global warming have been blamed for much of the 'forest die-off' that has occurred over the past 40 years, the evidence that electromagnetic radiation has been the real, or at least primary, cause is rather overwhelming once the full circumstances of the damage are seriously investigated. While Firstenberg cites many very compelling examples, the case of the Amazon rainforest makes the point rather starkly. In 2005, it was noticed that trees were dying without obvious cause. This has been blamed on global warming which caused an unusual drought in that year. However, on 27 July 2002, the US-financed and Raytheon-built System for Vigilance of the Amazon (SIVAM), a $US1.4 billion system of radars and sensors, began its monitoring activities in a two million square mile area of remote wilderness. Ostensibly to deprive drug traffickers and guerrillas a safe haven, it also 'required pretending that blasting the rainforest with radiation at levels that were unprecedented in the history of the world was of no consequence to the forest's precious inhabitants, human or otherwise'. So the system's '25 enormously powerful surveillance radars, 10 Doppler weather radars, 200 floating water-monitoring stations, 900 radio-equipped "listening posts", 32 radio stations, 8 airborne state-of-the-art surveillance jets equipped with fog-penetrating radar, and 99 "attack/trainer" support aircraft' can track individual human beings and 'hear a twig snap' anywhere in the Amazon. Again, at the cost of electromagnetically damaging every living organism in the rainforest. To reiterate though, the Amazon is not the only forest in the world adversely impacted by electromagnetic radiation with many studies examining the issue, wherever they are conducted, consistently revealing forest damage by electromagnetic radiation from civilian and military installations (and even recovery when, as happens occasionally, the local radiation stops). Insects In 1901, Marconi sent the world's first long-distance radio transmission from the Isle of Wight, off the southern coast of England. By 1906 and now host to the greatest density of radio transmissions in the world, the island was almost empty of bees. 'Thousands, unable to fly, were found crawling and dying on the ground outside their hives'. And healthy bees, imported from the mainland, began dying within a week of arrival. 'Isle of Wight disease' was then reported in European countries, South Africa, Australia and North America over following decades with almost everyone assuming it was infectious. Despite various suspected diseases and parasites accused over many decades, each was eventually 'cleared' of causing the problem. But in the second half of the 1990s, the 'disappearing bee' problem again accelerated and acquired the name 'colony collapse disorder' in 2007 as bee populations were decimated in many parts of the world. And despite the resistance of beekeepers (who are largely convinced that infectious diseases are driving bee losses and that toxic pesticides are necessary to kill mites), some scientists were starting to investigate the impact of electromagnetic radiation on bees. The simplest experiments involved placing a cell phone inside a bee hive: 'The results of such experiments, considering the complete denial by our society that wireless technology has any environmental effects at all, have been almost unbelievable.' 'The quickest way to destroy a bee hive, investigators have found, is to place a wireless telephone inside it.' Landmark research conducted originally in 2009 and then subsequently, which involved placing two cell phones in a hive for 30 minutes at a time every few days, demonstrated that electromagnetic fields interfere with cellular metabolism: bees practically could not metabolize sugars, proteins or fats and, as in humans but far more rapidly, their cells become oxygen starved. Three months, at this modest level of exposure, would destroy a hive. One particularly nasty development that occurred in the (northern) Winter of 2006-2007 that is considered by some the likely immediate cause of the disastrous colony collapse disorder at the time, is that the US military's HAARP – High-frequency Active Auroral Research Project – in Alaska reached full power with the installation of the last of its 180 antennas at that time. HAARP is the most powerful radio transmitter on Earth and 'turned the ionosphere itself – the life-giving layer of sky to which every creature is tuned – into a gigantic radio transmitter'. Why? HAARP was being used for US military communications, particularly with submarines. Even in 1988, when HAARP was still being planned, physicist Richard Williams, a consultant to Princeton University's David Sarnoff Laboratory, called the project 'an irresponsible act of global vandalism' given the power levels that were to be used. In fact, according to other researchers, the HAARP project has also been used to research and develop electromagnetic weapons, such as directed energy beams. See 'HAARP: Secret Weapon Used For Weather Modification, Electromagnetic Warfare'. But whatever its functions, even though now transferred to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Ulrich Warnke points out that the frequencies of HAARP superimpose unnatural magnetic fields on the natural resonant frequencies of the sky, the daily variations of which have not changed since life appeared on Earth. This is disastrous for bees because they 'lose an orientation that served them for millions of years as a reliable indicator of the time of day'. Of course bees are not the only insects adversely impacted by this recent human obsession with electromagnetic radiation. Experiments with other insects, such as ants and fruit flies, again simply using exposure to cell phones rather than any specialized equipment, revealed equally instructive results. A few minutes exposure for a few days, for example, dramatically reduced the reproductive success of the flies. And exposed to phones turned off, in standby mode and then turned on, ants displayed a variety of behaviors including leaving their nest and taking all of their eggs, larvae and nymphs with them. As an aside, experiments of this nature also revealed 'intensity windows' of maximal effect. This means that 'the greatest damage is not always done by the greatest levels of radiation. Holding your cell phone away from your head may actually worsen the damage.' And even a cell phone that is turned off but has the battery in it, is 'clearly and obviously dangerous'. Birds The disastrous effects of radio waves on birds were first noted in the 1930s. It was immediately obvious, for example, to diverse groups of people who worked with pigeons – those involved in pigeon racing and those still using pigeons for military communications – when the birds lost their way during the rapid expansion of radio broadcasting. But by the late 1990s, as cell phone towers proliferated and vastly greater numbers of birds were unable to fly home, pigeon-racing plummeted compelling pigeon-fanciers to revisit an issue they had earlier set aside. Unfortunately, it was too late. In 1998, shortly after Motorola's launch of 66 Iridium satellites had begun providing the first cell phone service from Space, 90% of pigeons being raced in various locations in the United States over a two-week period vanished. Of course, it is not just pigeon populations that are being decimated. Wherever dramatic bird population declines are being studied and electromagnetic radiation is considered as a possible factor (which is not always the case), the results usually reveal a link even if the damaging impact is variable. If electromagnetic radiation totally disorients pigeons, how do migratory birds navigate? Often enough, they don't. For example, in 2004, scientists at the University of Oldenburg in Germany were shocked to discover that migratory songbirds they had been studying were no longer able to orient themselves for their migratory journeys. Conducting a simple experiment – surrounding the aviaries of European robins with grounded aluminium sheeting to remove the influence of electromagnetic radiation – the immediate and positive impact 'on the birds' orientation capabilities was profound', they noted in a study published in 2014. One series of studies was conducted by wildlife biologist Alfonso Balmori Martínez in Spain for more than a decade from the 1990s, after noting the dramatic increase in leukemias, cancers, headaches, insomnia, memory loss, heart arrhythmias and acute neurological reactions suffered by people near a new installation of antennas adjacent to a local school. His subsequently published research revealed, among many other points, the following: kestrels vanishing from breeding sites after antennas for mobile telecommunications were installed, nest abandonment by storks near the radiation beams from telephone masts, rock doves dead near phone masts, plumage deterioration and locomotive problems in magpies at points highly contaminated with microwave radiation, and a dramatic decline in sparrow populations in irradiated areas, which matched a European-wide trend with, for example, sparrows in the UK declining by 75% between 1994 and 2002. Balmori's conclusion was simple: 'This coincides with the rollout of mobile telephony.' One of the problems peculiar to birds, already identified by Canadian researchers in the 1960s, is that 'feathers make fine receiving aerials for microwaves'. By the way, have a ponder what happens when a bird (or animal, reptile, amphibian, fish or even insect, for that matter) is radio tagged so that its behavior can be monitored. It exposes the creatures to immediate radiation, in comparison to that from distant cell phone towers, thus adversely impacting their functioning and altering their behavior! Firstenberg characterized this procedure, politely in my view, as 'scientific folly'. Other scientists have documented many serious, adverse impacts from radio tagging but the practice is far from over with most wildlife scientists simply assuming that tagging has zero impact. Amphibians The ongoing serious decline of frogs, toads, salamanders and other amphibians all over the world has been notable since at least the 1980s. Not something you think about? Well, amphibians have been falling silent for a range of reasons but, once again, electromagnetic radiation is a key one. Notably, even iconic species, such as the famous and highly protected Golden Toad, named for its brightly colored skin and resident of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve in Costa Rica, have gone extinct without any real fight to save them. Puzzling to most scientists was the fact that amphibians have been vanishing even in 'many pristine, remote environments that they thought to be unpolluted'. And they were pristine, except for the 'invisible pollutant' that permeated even these environments: electromagnetic radiation. Needless to say, the usual range of scientific studies has long since proved that exposure of amphibians to electromagnetic radiation is 'incompatible with [their] survival'. As Firstenberg notes: Environmentalists, for the most part, like the rest of modern humanity, have one terrific blindspot: they don't acknowledge electromagnetic radiation as an environmental factor, and they are comfortable with placing power lines, telephone relay towers, cell towers, and radar stations in the middle of the most remote, pristine mountainous locations, never realizing that they are intensely polluting those environments. The key question is this: Will humanity, and not just environmentalists, wake up to the threat posed by electromagnetic radiation in time? Humans In this brief review, I am not going to discuss the extensive evidence of the damage to human health caused by electromagnetic radiation. But there is not a significant, modern human disease – diabetes, 'influenza', cancer, heart disease, strokes, obesity... – and a host of other mental and physical ill-effects (including anxiety, memory loss, impaired motor function, attention-deficit, sleep disturbance, reduced lung capacity, higher white cell counts and headaches as well as a disturbed balance in the boy/girl birth ratio) that can be fully understood without understanding the impact of living in a disturbed electrical environment. Again, Firstenberg spells it out in gruesome detail. However, to mention two brief examples: Firstenberg explains how electromagnetic radiation damages the mitochondria – thus inhibiting cellular metabolism – with disastrous consequences for those many individuals impacted. However, they are only rarely medically diagnosed as such. And the effects of radio waves on blood sugar are extremely well documented but none of this research has been done in the United States or western Europe. As an aside, you might be interested to know that a large, rapid, qualitative change in the Earth's electromagnetic environment has occurred six times in Earth's history, as noted by Firstenberg: in 1889 power line harmonic radiation began (accompanied by the 1889 pandemic of influenza), in 1918 the radio era began (accompanied by the 'Spanish' influenza pandemic), in 1957 the radar era began (accompanied by the Asian flu pandemic), in 1968 the satellite era began (accompanied by the Hong Kong flu pandemic), and twice more coinciding with changes that you can read in the book. Since a few months before the book was published in February 2020, however, the deployment of 5G technology has been proceeding in earnest, as discussed below. Interesting that during this time people have also been impacted by a 'virus' labeled COVID-19, don't you think? Anyway, as you probably guessed as well, electromagnetic radiation causes biological damage to fruit trees, crops, farm birds and animals too, with adverse implications for the human food supply (apart from the shocking impact from the mass killing of pollinators such as bees). What is the State of Play Now? Despite its enormous health hazards and implications for military violence, as well as its potential for intrusive surveillance, which is also extensively documented – see 'How Big Wireless Lobbied Governments to Build 5G for Citizen Data Collection and Surveillance' – and the vulnerability of satellites to cyber attacks with potentially horrific consequences – see 'Hackers could shut down satellites – or turn them into weapons' – the deployment of 5G has begun. From the elite perspective, it is critical to implementation of the so-called fourth industrial revolution. See 'Techno-Tyranny: How The US National Security State Is Using Coronavirus To Fulfill An Orwellian Vision'. This means that the existing fleet of functional satellites orbiting Earth, which totaled 2,666 on 1 April 2020 – see 'Satellite Database' – but has already grown by a couple of hundred since then, will be vastly expanded to tens of thousands in the near future. For example, the Elon Musk corporation SpaceX has already launched 538 satellites into Space and is planning to launch another 60 every two weeks into the ionosphere. See '538 Satellites and Counting'. Again: 'The ionosphere is a source of high voltage that controls the global electric circuit, which in turn provides the energy for life.' Moreover, on 26 May 2020 SpaceX filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the USA for 30,000 'next-generation' ('Gen2') satellites. 'If and when [SpaceX's] Starlink signs up millions of paying customers, it is possible that nothing will survive – no humans, no animals, and no insects. It is likely that it will be blamed on COVID-19, unless this world wakes up in time.' See 'Putting the Earth Inside a High-Speed Computer'. But SpaceX is not the only satellite corporation although it has a large scheme compared to most of its major competitors, except OneWeb (UK/USA) which submitted a plan to the FCC in the USA on 27 May 2020 for 48,000 satellites. Some other private corporations or government agencies that have satellite constellations they are planning to expand include Boeing (USA), Spire Global (Luxembourg, Scotland, USA), Iridium (USA), Orbcomm (USA), Globalstar (USA), Telesat (Canada), Eutelsat (Europe), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Earth Observing System (USA), the Pentagon's Space Development Agency (USA) with plans for hundreds or potentially thousands of satellites in seven layers – see 'National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA), Systems, Technologies, and Emerging Capabilities (STEC)' – the Russian Satellite Communications Company, GLONASS (Russia) and the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (China). Yet other groups, such as Amazon, are planning major constellations – see 'Amazon to offer broadband access from orbit with 3,236-satellite "Project Kuiper" constellation' – and Facebook has an experimental satellite license. In addition, the new corporation Lynk (USA) has been deploying 'cell-towers-in-space' satellites and boasts 'We will connect all 5.2 billion mobile phones on the planet, everywhere.' How? 'Subscribers receive coverage from terrestrial towers when they have it and satellite towers when they need it, all from their existing phone.' As has been noted before this, the slowly-evolving night sky that creatures from Earth have observed for billions of years will be rapidly obliterated in what will presumably be the first instance of astronomical pollution. Stars visible to the naked eye will vanish from view. On 23 March 2020, the 'Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2020' became law in the United States. See 'Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2020'. It's purpose? To require the President [within 180 days] to develop a strategy to ensure the security of next generation mobile telecommunications systems and infrastructure in the United States and to assist allies and strategic partners in maximizing the security of next generation mobile telecommunications systems, infrastructure, and software, and for other purposes. So 5G technology is now being rapidly rolled out with elite agents in the telecommunications industry advertising bigger and faster downloads. They just don't mention that it will kill us. 'Why not?' you might ask. 'Won't it kill them too?' Yes, but they are insane which, in this case, means that their minds are incapable of paying attention to, and considering, the 'big picture' (including all of the ecological and social variables impacted by their decisions) because their focus is on limited imperatives, such as profit. This is why all of those scientific studies that have consistently exposed the extreme dangers of electromagnetic radiation over recent decades have not only been ignored but great effort, including through the corporate media, has been made to prevent public discussion of the impacts based on the knowledge in this research. For brief explanations of this insanity, see 'The Global Elite is Insane Revisited' and 'Love Denied: The Psychology of Materialism, Violence and War' with fuller explanations in 'Why Violence?' and 'Fearless Psychology and Fearful Psychology: Principles and Practice'. This insanity is why the global elite, through its corporate and political agents, is endlessly manipulating us into fighting their wars – even dragging us to the brink of nuclear war – destroying the climate and the environment, driving the collapse of biodiversity, and generating a vast range of political, economic and social crises without ever considering the fundamental outcome – its deleterious impact on all life – of their behaviors. 5G is just the latest manifestation of this insanity. Of course, all of these crises could be resolved if we were dealing with people who were sane. And if most of us were not readily distracted from paying attention to reality. See 'The Disintegrated Mind: The Greatest Threat to Human Survival on Earth'. Resisting the Deployment of 5G Given the military and surveillance implications of 5G, if you think that governments are particularly concerned to investigate and consider the extensive evidence of the enormous hazards of 5G, you might find it sobering to read the dismissive three paragraphs given to the subject in the European Parliament's official report on 5G. See '5G Deployment: State of Play in Europe, USA and Asia'. The reality, as touched on just above, is that elite interests are shaping what happens. You still don't think so? In 2002, Gro Harlem Brundtland, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the former Prime Minister of Norway, ordered people entering her office in Geneva to not carry a cell phone. Why? Because cell phones gave her a headache. The following year Brundtland was no longer the Director-General of the WHO. 'No other public officials have repeated her mistake.' See The Invisible Rainbow: A History of Electricity and Life. Nevertheless, the resistance to 5G is rapidly gaining pace with concerned scientists and activists setting the pace. For example, you can see a 'List of Cities, Towns, Councils and Countries that have Banned 5G'. And if you wish to join those resisting the deployment of 5G, options include signing the 'International Appeal: Stop 5G on Earth and in Space', supporting legal challenges such as this one in Denmark – see 'State of Play and Danish Suing FiveG Network' – and simply getting rid of your mobile (cell) phone. See 'End Cellphones Here on Earth (ECHOEarth)'. Moreover, if you wish, you can campaign strategically to halt the deployment of 5G. You can read a list of strategic goals, as well as how to develop a local strategy to prevent/halt the deployment of 5G, at Nonviolent Campaign Strategy. Separately from this, if you would like to join the worldwide movement of people working to end all violence, you can do so by signing the online pledge of 'The People's Charter to Create a Nonviolent World'. Conclusion So what is Arthur Firstenberg's chilling conclusion? 'You cannot contaminate the global electrical circuit with millions of pulsed, modulated electronic signals without destroying all of life.' But, as outlined above, since 'controlling' electricity in 1746, humans have been increasingly contaminating the global electrical circuit and it has culminated in what will now be the final electromagnetic assault on Earth. Which means that unless we can halt the launch of these 5G satellites and the rollout of the technology 'on the ground' we will be 'destroying all of life'. And while some groups advocate measures to protect ourselves as individuals, inadequate though these must be in the unfolding circumstances, no amount of measures to individually protect ourselves from this electromagnetic radiation will protect 'all of life' in the wild. According to Ross Adey, the grandfather of bioelectromagnetics and atmospheric physicist Neil Cherry, we are electrically tuned to the world around us and 'the safe level of exposure to radio waves is zero'. There is virtually no time left to understand and act powerfully on that knowledge. What will you do? Biodata: Robert J. Burrowes has a lifetime commitment to understanding and ending human violence. He has done extensive research since 1966 in an effort to understand why human beings are violent and has been a nonviolent activist since 1981. He is the author of 'Why Violence?' His email address is flametree@riseup.net and his website is here. Source: Robert J. Burrowes Published: Thursday, July 2, 2020   Mon, 27 Jul 2020 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/4391/Deadly-Rainbow--Will-5g-Precipitate-The-Extinction-Of-All-Life-On-Earth- http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/1775/Understanding---Fixing-Leaky-Gut- blog The gut and digestive system have taken center stage as a health topic today. Both natural and Western medicine have recognized that the gut houses 80% of the immune response and are beginning to study and understand it's relationship to the brain as well as many other diseases.  You might be surprised to find that the following conditions all have an underlying imbalance in common - leaky gut due to tears/gaps in the tight junctions of the large intestine.   Chronic constipation Mood and appetite disorders Depression Cognitive decline Loss of memory and recall Anxiety Chronic Pain Parkinsons Auto-immune disorders In addition to the above listed disorders, gut dysbiosis may exist in the form of Leaky Gut, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Chrones Disease, Food intolerances, gas, pain and bloating.   What biological factors are considered to make up a "healthy gut"? Those with a healthy gut will rarely - if ever - suffer from any digestive issues and will most likely not have any of the above listed diseases in process either. The measurable markers of a healthy gut include: Good microbiota diversity (healthy strands of probiotics) Low levels of pathogens (bad bacteria, viruses, parasites) A strong mucosal barrier Low mucosal inflammation Strong, tight junctions in the intestinal wall What factors make up dysbiosis? Dysbiosis also called dysbacteriosis, is a term for a microbial imbalance or maladaptation on or inside the body, such as an impaired microbiota. Due to the presence of glyphosate (Round Up weed killer) and pesticides in our food and water supply along with electromagnetic field damage and poor diet and lifestyle habits, most people will suffer from some sort of digestive issues. As a naturopath, I most commonly see leaky gut in the form of food sensitivities that lead to extreme discomfort, constipation and in severe cases this seems to lead to skin issues especially acne and eczema. The biological factors that make up gut dysbiosis are: Low Microbiota diversity An over abundance of mucus degrading and toxin producing pathogens Weak tight junctions in the intestinal wall Inflamed intestinal cells A degraded and inflamed mucosal layer Low short-chain fatty acid production Endotoxins (LPS lipopolysaccharides) leaking through the torn membrane and into the body, causing an immune response.  Low butyrate (Gut bacteria produce butyrate, an important short-chain fatty acid that supports digestive health, helps control inflammation, and even aids in preventing disease) Low propionate (Propionate as a health-promoting microbial metabolite in the human gut. Propionare is a major microbial fermentation metabolite in the human gut with putative health effects that extend beyond the gut epithelium. Propionare is thought to lower lipogenesis, serum cholesterol levels, and carcinogenesis in other tissues.) Acetate (In general, acetate may modulate body weight control through different mechanisms that can affect central appetite regulation, gut-satiety hormones, and improvements in lipid metabolism and energy expenditure)  The relationship between Leaky Gut and food sensitivities Now more than ever, consumers are becoming more conscious of their personal food sensitivities. People are starting to understand that there is no "right diet" for everyone and that they either need to get tested or eliminate certain foods in order to discover the things that they should not be eating. From finger pricks, to food scans and muscle testing - there are a variety of ways to uncover your personal food sensitivities. The unfortunate thing is that if you have a leaky gut EVERYTHING that you eat becomes inflammatory as it leaks out of your gut into your body. I have clients who have eliminated gluten, dairy, soy, corn, sugar and are eating VERY clean - yet still experiencing horrible digestive and health issues especially when it comes to acne and eczema. Some clients are also on probiotics and digestive support for inflammation and it simply isn't working. So the people who still eat everything have something in common with the people who have eliminated foods they're sensitive too... both are STILL experiencing issues one way or another.  This is when its time to reset your gut, and you can do it in a minimum of 90 days... The Total Gut Restoration Program consists of a 90 day, 3 stage process during which you will take a certain amount of supplements at certain times. Both a food sensitivity scan and digestive scan will be completed at the beginning and the end of the process as well as muscle testing of the actual large and small intestine. Once your gut becomes balanced, a simple maintenance protocol will go into place and you can begin introducing certain foods back into your diet. I am Partnered with MicroBiome Labs to offer this process to clients.    Tue, 28 Apr 2020 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/1775/Understanding---Fixing-Leaky-Gut- http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/1416/Natural-Immune-Response-protocol-for-when-traveling-and-during-flu-seasons---pandemics blog If at all possible, do not travel by plane right now - even domestically. For those that do have to travel or simply in preparation for the  Corona virus becoming an issue in your area, there are some great things you can do to help guard yourself from risk of infection.  1) Colloidal Silver nasal spray & drops - this will line the nasal passages and create an unfriendly environment to pathogens including viruses. If you have to fly, you will want to follow the instructions on the bottle for the emergency dose which is typically 5 sprays per nostril, 7 times per day. If you have to travel - you will want to start this regimen 72 hours prior to flying and continue it 72 hours after you return home. The protocol should not exceed 14 days. 2) Colloidal Silver oral drops - taking the silver internally will also help your body to fight any contact with a viral pathogen. Follow the instructions on the bottle for emergency dose.  3) Food Grade Vitamin C - as most know this raises our immune system. Begin a therapeutic dose which will be 3x what the label calls for, 72 hours prior to traveling through 72 hours after returning home. Why food grade and how do you know if it is? Be careful because even some supplements marked as "organic" still have synthetic USP vitamins - synthetic vitamin C is called "Ascorbic Acid" on the label and is isolated from GMO corn. You will want the bottle to say that it is food-derived, organic, and typically the instructions will say that you can take it with or without food. Any vitamin that has to be taken WITH food is probably synthetic and should be avoided. 4) Mushroom Blends: Immunity mushroom blends will be a fine brown powder that can be added to hot water and consumed as a drink. They're often begin used now as coffee replacements. You can also get mushroom blends in a capsulated formula. These can be taken on an ongoing basis and will build and strengthen the immune system over time.  5)  Elderberry - known for its anti-viral effect can be taken in a capsule, as a childrens gummy or even as a syrup typically used for coughs. This herb is safe for use over several months at a time for example you can put you kids on this herb all winter long. If you go for the syrup, make sure it is not full of sugar and is organic.  6) Avoid sugar - sugar compromises the immune system because of its impact on the digestive tract where 80% of our immune system lives. If you want to be serious about avoiding getting sick year-round, your diet should consist mostly of organic, raw fruits and vegetables.  7) Do not consume alcohol - it drops the immune system and changes the enzyme activity in the liver. Instead consume fresh, filtered or spring water out of non-plastic bottles, fresh pressed juices etc.  8) Avoid coffee and caffeine - caffeine is an addictive drug that creates dependence and causes dehydration. Your body must maintain proper hydration balance to stay healthy.  9) Take pre & pro-biotics. Because the immune system is primarily in the gut, keeping the healthy bacteria thriving is essential.  Anyone at any age and living anywhere can take advantage of these tips to keep your immune system at it's best! If you are not sure what products to buy, please contact me and I will send you a FREE link to an online cart to view and purchase any or all of the above remedies. Please email me: hello@dmdnaturalmedicine.com to request the product link and be sure to include your full name and phone number.  Wed, 04 Mar 2020 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/1416/Natural-Immune-Response-protocol-for-when-traveling-and-during-flu-seasons---pandemics http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/1315/Cardiovascular-Disease-Prevention-with-Natural-Medicine blog Does your cardiovascular health plan include these important cornerstones?     Testing for the two main inflammatory factors: C-Reactive Protein & Homocysteine levels and keeping them in range. Reducing inflammation in the blood vessels and maintaining elasticity of the vessel walls. Using plant medicine and organic supplements to support the cardiovascular system. Support the liver and gallbladder. Increase Nitric-Oxide levels in the body to ensure proper oxygenation on a cellular level. Keeping cholesterol in range and properly balanced ratios of HDL to LDL. Understanding a heart healthy diet comprised of primarily fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and the avoidance of sugar, starches, inflammatory fats and alcohol.     Its time to start looking at cardiovascular disease "prevention" as more than just exercising and eating right. If you visit "Heart Health" websites (like the American Heart Association) you will find a plethora of information including exercise tips, eating a heart healthy diet and advice about the avoidance of smoking. Yet, the numbers of cardiovascular events are staggering and growing along with the number of Americans' who resort to pharmaceutical drugs for help with this disease. Cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death in the Western Civilization.              According to the American College of Cardiology, approximately every 40 seconds, an American will have a myocardial infarction. The American Heart Association claims that at least 48 percent of U.S.. adults have some form of cardiovascular disease, based on the latest statistics provided by the American Heart Association. 28% of the American Population takes a stain drug (to lower cholesterol) according to NBC Health. Statins also reduced the overall risk of death by coronary heart disease by 28 per cent, and reduced the risk of death by other cardiovascular disease by 25 per cent among those with very high LDL cholesterol.        Perhaps the information pushed by the media about this disease is outdated to say the least. For example, most people believe that high cholesterol causes heart disease and that if you lower your cholesterol level you lower your chance of dying from it... this is what we have all come to understand about heart disease. However, more recent research shows that chronic inflammation (not cholesterol) is the actual cause of heart disease and that it is more dangerous to have too low of cholesterol than too high.      The general consensus about "fat" is that we need to eat a "low fat diet" to prevent heart disease. The narrative should be teaching about eating a diet high in healthy fats vs saturated fats, AKA "inflammatory fats" like vegetable oils and animal fat . Healthy fats, like Omega 3's found in olive oil actually protect your heart. Omega 3's are found in fish but in order to get what you need you would need, consuming fish on a daily basis would be required. Additionally, due to the heavily polluted oceans, fish are now highly toxic in heavy metals and plastics. The alternative, farmed fish, may also have drawbacks. Yet cardiovascular wellness websites are still pushing the narrative that eating fish is healthy.      If you live in Denver Colorado or surrounding areas like the Denver Tech Center, Lone Tree, Centennial, Aurora and Littleton and are seeking holistic solutions for lowering cholesterol and reversing heart disease, click to schedule a FREE consultation about your heart health. Whether you have suffered from a heart attack or cardiovascular event or are just looking to balance blood pressure or lower cholesterol, we can help. You have natural medical options for managing this disease and its symptoms rather than resorting to prescription statin drugs. Your customized natural medicine plan for cardiovascular disease will include evaluating blood pressure,  cholesterol, inflammatory markers (C-Reactive Protein & Homocysteine), Nitric-Oxide levels, supporting the liver and gallbladder, and incorporating a balanced diet and exercise plan.          Tue, 04 Feb 2020 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/1315/Cardiovascular-Disease-Prevention-with-Natural-Medicine http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/1120/Homeopathic-HGH-Weight-Loss-program blog There are so many weight loss "programs" available today, and if you're reading this you may have already tried many and failed or are in the process of considering which one to try. One of the most difficult things individuals face with losing weight is changing your lifestyle; this includes both what you eat and your physical activity level. This program combines the teaching of healthy lifestyle choices alongside homeopathic medicines including Human Growth Hormone (Somotrophin)  What is Growth Hormone? Growth hormone is a single-chain peptide hormone produced by the pituitary gland. This is the hormone that helps you grow during childhood, hence the word "growth". GH reaches its peak around the age of 20 and begins to plummet around age 25. Thus, the dreaded aging process begins, as this hormone slowly declines for the rest of your life. Growing isn't the only thing GH is good for. Many experts say that supplementing growth hormone levels when you are older may help bring them back to levels you had in your 20's. Why Homeopathic? Homeopathic HGH is safer to use with the body because it works with the bodies own processes and is made from real HGH - rather than synthetic shots that may drive other hormone levels out of balance and may have dangerous side effects.  Who is a good candidate? The program is designed for those who are looking to lose a significant amount of weight - at least 15 pounds or more. Both male and female clients over the age of 18 make good candidates. What is involved? This is a 9 month program that can be completed for both distance and in person (Denver, Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch and Littleton, Colorado) clients. The 9 month commitment includes a jump start HCG weight loss package and an ongoing homeopathic HGH protocol along with food and weight journaling and once a month check ins. Photo submissions are also required to track progress. If you live in the greater Denver area you are welcome to come in for physical visits but this program is available nationally to anyone in the United States. For distance clients, all protocols will be mailed directly to you and you will respond with the clinic via phone and/or video chat.  Are there any contraindications? If you are taking prescription drugs or have been diagnosed with a disease it is your responsibility to speak to your doctor about potential drug interactions or hazards.  What are the benefits? You may experience additional benefits besides losing weight. This includes increased energy, better sleep, more endurance, and reduced stress. Think of how good you felt in your 20's... wouldn't you love to FEEL 20 again?  When is the best time to start? Today! Book your first time Wellness appointment and learn about how this program can benefit you! Complimentary 15 minute phone consultations are available if you have questions before booking your first appointment. Take back your health and get the body you want, contact us now! Thu, 05 Dec 2019 06:00:00 GMT http://dmdnaturalmedicine.com/blog/1120/Homeopathic-HGH-Weight-Loss-program