October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month—a time to honor survivors, raise awareness, and take action in the fight against breast cancer. While conventional treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation have saved many lives, an integrative, holistic approach is becoming increasingly recognized as a critical component of prevention, treatment, and healing. This approach addresses not just the physical body, but also environmental, hormonal, and lifestyle factors that can contribute to the development of breast cancer.

Our brains rely on a steady, rich supply of oxygen and nutrients through blood circulation to function optimally. However, when tiny blood clots—called microclots—form and circulate through the bloodstream, this vital supply can be interrupted. Microclots can silently wreak havoc on brain health, leading to a wide range of neurological issues, from brain fog to more serious cognitive impairments. In this blog, we’ll explore why microclots are detrimental to brain health, the symptoms they cause, and how they form. We’ll also dive into practical strategies—both lifestyle habits and supplements—that can help dissolve these clots and protect your brain.

Most people don’t think twice about brain health unless they notice problems with their memory or concentration. 

But your brain is the control center for everything else in your body! 

Every thought, emotion, movement, and even the way you digest food or respond to stress is regulated by our brain. How well your brain functions has a direct and significant effect on your stress response, hormone production, gut health, and hunger cues. (Not to mention productivity and mood.)

We just cannot separate the body from the brain. Prioritizing brain health is crucial not only for mental clarity and emotional well-being but also for your overall health. 

In modern medicine, the focus is shifting from a one-size-fits-all approach to more personalized strategies that consider the unique aspects of each individual. Central to this personalization is understanding our genetic makeup. Genetics provide a blueprint, giving us insights into how our bodies function in the short term and the long term. By integrating genetic data into our health care approach, we not only address today’s symptoms but also gain clarity on potential risks and opportunities for proactive care.

Treating Symptoms by Addressing the Root Cause

There are times where we want to prioritize symptom management, times where we want to prioritize an approach that seeks the root cause, and other times where we want to blend the two. When we open up the broader lens and look towards our health with a comprehensive workup, we want to take a peek at – diet, lifestyle, family history, labs, and each system in the body to be able to understand the whole. Yet, to truly understand what makes each individual unique, we must also consider the genetic component. This helps paint a comprehensive picture of health that goes beyond just symptoms, offering deeper insights into why certain issues arise and how best to treat them.

As the winter season approaches and school is in session for most children, ensuring your child’s health and well-being becomes crucial, especially when factors like reduced sunlight exposure and seasonal illnesses come into play. Here’s a comprehensive guide to building a pediatric winter wellness toolbox, focusing on essential supplements to support your child’s overall health during these colder months.

Embracing the Transition from Summer to Fall: A Guide for Resetting Self-Care Routines

As summer draws to a close, the transition into fall and the back-to-school season brings with it a mix of emotions for moms and families alike. On one hand, there's the excitement of new beginnings, the joy of reuniting with school friends, and the anticipation of a more structured routine. On the other hand, there can be feelings of anxiety, stress, and even sadness as the carefree days of summer come to an end. For many, it's a time of adjustment, juggling schedules, and finding a new rhythm.

Understanding the labs

Anyone who struggles with thyroid function knows that it’s all too common for their labs to look “fine” and yet still feel tired all the time or have mood swings, brain fog, constipation, hair loss, or other concerns.

That’s why in functional medicine, we also:

✔️ Monitor more than just TSH

✔️ Optimize nutrition for thyroid hormone synthesis

✔️ Support conversion of T4 to the more active T3

✔️ Calm inflammation & oxidative stress

✔️ Identify & address root causes (metals, toxins, nutrient deficiencies, infections, stress, etc.)

First, let’ understand how to read thyroid lab results

The hot flashes, low libido, PMS, carrying those extra pounds … they are frustrating and leave us wanting to feel confident and sexy in our own bodies.

But our hormonal balance rarely is just due to the sex hormones being out of balance. The out of kilter hormones are a red flag that our body is showing us, saying ‘take a look at me!’ One of those deeper root layers to hormonal irritability, is the thyroid.

The thyroid is a gland at the front of your neck that regulates metabolism, mood, and more. It is referred to as the ‘master gland’ because of the critical role it plays in regulating our metabolism, energy, and hormonal dance. It can become overactive or underactive, causing anything from feeling tired all the time to unexplained weight gain, hair loss, or mood swings.

Even with routine blood tests, thyroid imbalances are sometimes missed, and even when labs are brought into the normal range, I often see patients who still do not feel well.

When we zoom out, we see that thyroid hormones also interact with stress hormones (cortisol), blood sugar hormones (insulin), and reproductive hormones (estrogen). This is the greater orchestra of your body and why despite its central role, thyroid issues are rarely isolated problems. This is why you may struggle balancing your thyroid when all of your other buckets in the body are leaky.

Aging is an inevitable part of life that affects our moods, energy, strength, and overall ability to enjoy life. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways we can improve how our bodies age.

Have you heard that if a person appears thin that they cannot have blood sugar issues? Or that frequent snacking is the best way to maintain blood sugar regulation? Or that only people with diabetes need to worry about blood sugar?

These are all myths!

Did you know that your nervous system tone affects your immune system and metabolism??

The vagus nerve is the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system (the part of our nervous system that helps us ‘rest and digest’). It extends from the brainstem down through the neck and into the chest and abdomen, branching out to various organs, including the heart, lungs, stomach, and intestines. The term "vagus" means "wandering" in Latin, aptly describing the nerve's extensive reach throughout the body.

It wanders from the brain to all the organs, branching off with thousands of nerve fibers. What’s really cool is the vagus nerve communicates in both directions - both to and from the brain!

We refer to the activity of the vagus nerve a ‘vagal tone’, which is linked with heart health, metabolic health, mood, digestion, healthy aging, and more.

When it comes to improving our metabolic health, and creating healthy weight balance, it is important to look at the gut biome.

It’s tough to heal your metabolism without also healing your gut. That’s because the trillions of microorganisms inhabiting the gut (the microbiome) directly influence metabolic health.

When there’s an imbalance in the microbiome, it can increase caloric absorption, communicate hunger signals to the brain, trigger fat deposition in the liver, and promote inflammation.

More specifically, the gut microbiome plays a pivotal role in metabolic processes, including the digestion of food, absorption of nutrients, and regulation of blood sugar levels. A healthy and diverse gut microbiome enhances metabolic efficiency, supports immune function, and reduces inflammation. Dysbiosis, or an imbalance in gut bacteria, is linked to obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome.

That means that when you heal your gut, it makes it easier to heal your metabolism too.

It’s often said that our skin reflects our inner health, and this is true in many ways. Our skin is more than just our natural clothing, it is by itself a unique organ. Most skin issues are a red flag telling you that there is something deeper in the body that needs to be addressed. So we want to take an approach that not only improves the skin issue, but also addresses the deeper root that your body is trying to tell you about.

Bloating …. It is uncomfortable, our pants don’t fit, and frankly isn’t fun. And did you know….Bloating is NOT normal!

Bloating can be especially frustrating as it often coincides with hormonal changes, such as those occurring during the menstrual cycle. This type of bloating is usually temporary but can significantly impact how you feel and function. The fluctuating hormones can lead to water retention, weight gain, and a sense of fullness and tightness in the abdomen. This hormonal bloating can be directly linked to gut health and dysbiosis. Dysbiosis and poor gut health can lead to the recirculation of estrogens, estrogen dominance, and all of the problems that follow.

Yet the effects of bloating don’t stop there….apart from hormonal changes, bloating can also make you feel lethargic and generally unwell. This uncomfortable swelling of the abdomen is often accompanied by other digestive issues such as gas, belching, and irregular bowel movements, further contributing to the feeling of discomfort.

The Profound Influence of the Gut Biome

Our gut is a foundation to a healthier and happier version of you. Whether you’re wanting better digestion, clearer skin, more energy, or a more balanced mood, none of this will happen without a happy gut.

You need those trillions of microorganisms for nutrient synthesis (like B vitamins & vitamin K), neurotransmitter production (like dopamine & serotonin), detoxification (of drugs, estrogen, & toxins), immune function, & more!

The Naturopathic Approach – No Duct Tape Needed!

What is a Naturopathic Doctor?

Let’s first define a ‘cleanse’ vs ‘detox’. A ‘cleanse’ or ‘detox’ is not the same thing as everyday detoxification.

A cleanse is a few days to a few weeks of following a strict protocol under physician guidance. It’s like a reset.

Everyday detoxification are the action steps that you can do at home to help reduce the buildup to toxins in your body by supporting safe and effective detox habits.