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Wellness

Clinic Wellness Team. A key factor to spine or back pain conditions is staying healthy. Overall wellness involves a balanced diet, appropriate exercise, physical activity, restful sleep, and a healthy lifestyle. The term has been applied in many ways. But overall, the definition is as follows.

It is a conscious, self-directed, and evolving process of achieving full potential. It is multidimensional, bringing together lifestyles both mental/spiritual and the environment in which one lives. It is positive and affirms that what we do is, in fact, correct.

It is an active process where people become aware and make choices towards a more successful lifestyle. This includes how a person contributes to their environment/community. They aim to build healthier living spaces and social networks. It helps in creating a person’s belief systems, values, and a positive world perspective.

Along with this comes the benefits of regular exercise, a healthy diet, personal self-care, and knowing when to seek medical attention. Dr. Jimenez’s message is to work towards being fit, being healthy, and staying aware of our collection of articles, blogs, and videos.


Recognizing the Symptoms of Diabetes | Wellness Clinic

Recognizing the Symptoms of Diabetes | Wellness Clinic

In 2010, diabetes was the seventh top cause of death in the US, according to the American Diabetes Association. During this year, over 69,000 death certificates of Americans listed diabetes.

 

The most current statistics shows that as of 2012, 29 million people have been diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Also in 2012, 1.7 million people — ages 20 or older — were diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes for the first time.

 

These surprising statistics show that diabetes is a significant problem in our society now. Together with statistics and the unhealthy eating habits of obesity in the United States, countless Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year. But, patients still do not take this metabolic disorder as seriously as they should.

 

In actuality, the World Health Organization estimates that by the year 2030, the number of individuals living with diabetes will more than twice.

 

What is Diabetes?

 

Diabetes, also officially called diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders. With diabetes, the affected person has high blood glucose (or blood glucose) due to one or both of the following reasons: their insulin production is insufficient, or their body’s cells don’t correctly respond to the insulin.

 

The pancreas, an organ located near your gut, is responsible for generating the hormone called insulin. Insulin is then accountable in receiving into your cells for aiding glucose. The majority is changed into glucose, or glucose, to be utilized as energy to our bodies. Therefore, individuals experience a build-up of sugar in their blood.

 

There are a few different types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes, type 2, and gestational diabetes. While the same basis is shared by all diseases, they do differ slightly from each other in their defects. Gestational diabetes is a form of high blood glucose that affects women.

 

  • Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body generates little to no insulin. This kind of diabetes is typically diagnosed during youth.
  • Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition which impacts the way the body processes the insulin produced. Their entire body becomes less sensitive to the insulin over time, although individuals suffering from type 2 diabetes still produce insulin in their pancreas. Type two diabetes is usually diagnosed in people over 40; however, it may still be diagnosed much earlier — even during childhood.

 

What is Prediabetes?

 

Prediabetes is when somebody has a blood glucose level which is higher than normal but is not yet large enough to be officially diagnosed with diabetes. A person diagnosed with prediabetes is much more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. They are also more likely to suffer from serious health issues such as a stroke or heart disease.

 

Particular risk factors for prediabetes include era — especially someone older than 45 years of age — being obese or overweight, a family history of diabetes, and being physically active less than three times per week.

 

But, research demonstrates that in case you do suffer from prediabetes, there are ways that you can prevent a after diagnosis of type 2 diabetes: lose 5 to 7 per cent of your body weight and get at least 150 minutes of physical activity in each week — this can be something easy like brisk walking.

 

How is Diabetes Diagnosed?

 

Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are diagnosed using a blood test that includes a hemoglobin A1C test, fasting blood glucose, and a glucose tolerance test.

 

Following a carbonated beverage is consumed, the glucose tolerance test measures the patient’s blood sugar. The hemoglobin A1C test will measure the average blood sugar level over the past couple of months. For an individual who doesn’t have diabetes, the A1C level ought to reflect less than 5.7 percent. However, if the evaluation results reveal 6.4 percent or greater on two distinct occasions, it suggests you’ve got diabetes. For your fasting blood sugar test, you are typically considered diabetic in case you have a sugar level of 126 mg/dL or even higher.

 

The immune system of someone with type 1 diabetes is likely to make antibodies, which then behave against the insulin-producing cells found in the pancreas. These antibodies can be detected by doctors .

 

Type 2 diabetes might be diagnosed according to suspicion due to relative symptoms and your risk factors, such as family history of diabetes and obesity.

 

Why is Diabetes Dangerous?

 

If not properly handled, diabetes has the potential to negatively impact virtually all organs and organs in your body. Improperly managed diabetes can lead to health issues and even death.

 

There are several complications that could arise as a result of improper maintenance of your diabetes. These include diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease), feet complications, stroke and heart attack, hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome (HHNS), and gastroparesis.

 

Diabetes also places you at double the chance of heart disease or a heart attack, compared to someone with diabetes. Other complications include stroke, cognitive loss, high blood pressure, kidney disease, higher cholesterol, foot ailments, eye issues and skin infections.

 

Below is a deeper look into a few typical complications as a result of diabetes:

 

Diabetic Retinopathy

 

People with diabetes are at risk for retinal injury because the sensitive eye tissue may be impacted by poor glucose control. The eye innermost layer is the retina. It is important to your vision. Your mind converts the light into signals, which can be sent for picture recognition in the mind and occurs in light.

 

Once the retina is affected, the blood vessels inside it are often ruined. This may affect your ability to decipher between images. Additionally, diabetics are at a higher risk of developing cataracts and glaucoma.

 

Diabetic Nephropathy

 

This term refers to kidney damage as a result of diabetes. Located in your kidneys are blood vessels which filter the waste within your blood. However the blood-sugar level that is high can cause damage to the blood vessels or perhaps lead to their own destruction. The kidneys cannot properly function. This may potentially result in kidney failure.

 

Foot Complications

 

Since diabetics often have nerve damage in their feet, even a simple callous or cut could pose a significant threat and result in serious complications. The blood circulation at a diabetic’s foot is poor, which also leads to inadequate feeling.

 

A diabetic might not believe a little cut on their foot because of a lack of feeling. Even a small cut could lead to a serious infection and even amputation, when combined with the factor of blood flow.

 

Stroke and Heart Attack

 

Diabetes is the strongest risk factor for cardiovascular disease, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center. 74 percent die from a stroke or heart attack. Also, adults have a 200 to 400 percent greater risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack, compared to individuals without diabetes.

 

Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic Nonketotic Syndrome

 

Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome (HHNS) is a condition which is most commonly seen in adults who are elderly and suffer with type 2 diabetes; however, it can be seen in those with type 1 diabetes as well.

 

This serious illness happens when the blood sugar levels in the body increase, and the body gets an attempt to quickly rid itself of this excess sugar through expulsion via pee. During this time, the affected person may need to use the restroom but they might quit going too often, and their urine will get dark. Since dehydration is such a threat for this condition, seizures, a diabetic coma, and even death are possible results if left untreated.

 

Gastroparesis

 

Gastroparesis occurs when the stomach takes longer than normal to empty the contents inside. The vagus nerve is responsible for controlling the movement of food through the gastrointestinal tract, however, in a person who has diabetes, this nerve becomes damaged due to the continuation of high glucose levels.

 

Once the vagus nerve becomes damaged, the intestines and muscles of the stomach no longer function correctly, slowing down the movement of food or quitting it. Gastroparesis can happen in someone. It can lead to nausea, vomiting, weight loss, heartburn, abdominal pain and much more.

 

What are the Signs of Diabetes Complications?

 

While the common indicators of developing diabetes can also be symptoms that diabetes complications might be arising, diabetes complications do have some indicators of their own.

 

Some signs of nerve damage related to diabetes include tingling of the limbs, rapid heartbeat, difficulty sleeping, proneness to falling or injury, changes in sweat and affects in senses. Some signs of skin-related diabetes complications include styes in the eyes and eyelids, acne, dermopathy, blisters and scales, and infections.

 

Eye-related diabetes complication symptoms include glaucoma, visiting spots, and cataracts.

 

How Do You Handle Diabetes?

 

With the proper health advice and proper lifestyle changes, diabetes could be monitored and controlled. A lot of people with type 2 diabetes can reverse and manage symptoms and their illness by enhancing their diet, increasing physical activity and managing sleep and stress levels. But, type 1 diabetes can be harder to tackle. However, symptoms may be managed by glucose levels and using the same approaches.

 

Educate yourself on the symptoms of diabetes, the causes of diabetes and also the most effective ways to prevent it. A few natural and easy Methods of handling and preventing diabetes are:

 

  • Normalize your omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. The average person consumes far too and much too. It is possible to locate omega-3 in fish like oil that is krill, fish oil, and salmon. Omega-6 is found in vegetable oils that were processed and most fried foods, too.
  • Eat a balanced diet plan. There is to keep your blood glucose A fantastic way to concentrate on eating unprocessed foods. Try to avoid things such as trans-fat, processed sugars and grains. When addressing your diet plan, among your focuses should be to restrict your intake of net carbs and protein. Instead, replace them with high amounts of high quality fats. The best, and only way, to handle your intake of protein and carbs is to keep a food diary.
  • Exercise frequently. Exercise is just one of the strategies to lessen your leptin and insulin resistance. Be mindful than needing to exercise altogether that excessive is dangerous, if not more damaging.
  • Get a great night’s sleep. Sleep is essential to your general well-being — this is. Getting at least eight hours of sleep every night can help normalize your system. Studies reveal sleep deprivation might be linked to insulin sensitivity.
  • Address anxiety or other inherent mental health issues. Nervousness anxiety, and depression put on your body down emotionally and physically. Physiological functions can be inhibited by this deterioration. It’s important to deal with all issues to alleviate pressure in your body.
  • Protect and treat your skin. High blood sugar levels can result in skin that is damaged. Always practice decent hygiene and utilize appropriate UV protection when spending time in the sun to avoid damaged and dry skin.
  • Keep your eyes safe. Diabetics are more likely to suffer with problems. To protect your eyes, receive a at the eye doctor and be sure to wear sunglasses when intending to be in sunlight for a while.

 

How Can You Prevent Diabetes?

A few lifestyle changes can help you prevent diabetes. Studies have found that exercise and weight loss that is moderate amongst adults may block or delay the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

 

Along with daily physical activity and weight loss, eating healthy can also help prevent or delay diabetes.

 

Want to learn more?

 

Diabetes is a common and potentially dangerous metabolic disease. Together with all of of the organs and systems, and the capacity to affect your limbs inside the body, diabetes might easily escape control. Unfortunately, if left unattended and not addressed correctly, diabetes may lead to a diabetic coma and even death.

 

However, this does not need to be the case. With good care and monitoring, you can handle and stop a diabetes diagnosis. It’s important to be aware of the causes and symptoms of diabetes to ensure prevention or appropriate attention of the disease.

 

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
 

By Dr. Alex Jimenez

 

Additional Topics: Wellness

 

Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.

 

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What is Autoimmune Disease and How to Reduce it? | Wellness Clinic

What is Autoimmune Disease and How to Reduce it? | Wellness Clinic

Autoimmunity is a bit more complex than you might think. If you�re reading this you probably already have at least a little bit of an idea of what an autoimmune disease is: It�s when your body attacks itself. Unfortunately, that�s drastically oversimplifying the problem. There are little-known underlying causes of autoimmunity and much more complicated descriptions of what it really is.

 

Now � I�m not going to make it as complicated as it could be because it could be really complicated to explain. I�ll do my best to describe the things that you want to hear about autoimmunity in a way that you want to hear it. Let�s get started with the basics:

 

  • What is an autoimmune disease?
  • What causes autoimmune diseases?
  • What can you do to reduce autoimmunity?

 

What is autoimmunity, really?

 

As early as the beginning of the 20th-century scientists and doctors had such little knowledge about autoimmunity that they firmly believed that it either, 1. Did not exist, or 2. Could not develop to the point of becoming a full-on disease. Surprisingly, the modern understanding of autoimmune diseases did not become widely-spread until the 1950’s.

 

Understanding Autoimmune Disease

 

Like we�ve said before, in the simplest terms, autoimmunity is when your body�s cells attack friendly cells that shouldn�t be attacked. Your body is failing to recognize it�s own cells properly and identifies them as �intruders� that must be destroyed. To some degree, immune systems appear in every complex life form. In order for the immune system to function properly, though, it needs to be able to know which cells to destroy and which to let live.

 

One of the main components of the immune system in humans is the antibody. Antibodies are very specialized cell-killers; each antibody has but one purpose � to mark a single type of intruder to be killed by another white blood cell. For example, when you get a cold, your body produces antibodies which are specialized to kill only the bacteria that cause that cold. You would probably never get sick again from that same cold because now your body has defenders against it. However, once the bacteria that caused your cold mutates into a new disease, your old antibodies aren�t programmed to kill the new disease � and are therefore useless.

 

When autoimmunity starts in your body, your body is failing to determine which cell it should destroy, and it starts to develop antibodies which are directed to kill �self� cells. These antibodies are called autoantibodies.

 

Autoimmune diseases affect some 50 million Americans and there are over 80 different diseases that involve some level of autoimmunity. Some examples of autoimmune related diseases are as follows:

 

  • Celiac disease
  • AIDS
  • Diabetes (Type 1)
  • Hashimoto�s thyroiditis
  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Graves Disease
  • Psoriasis
  • Reactive Arthritis
  • Inflammatory bowel disease

 

Alright, so now we know what autoimmunity is (hopefully), so let�s get to our next topic.

 

What Causes Autoimmune Disease?

 

A Leaky Gut

 

Many of these diseases, like diabetes, arthritis, and thyroiditis, are closely associated with inflammation. This might seem like I�m going off topic, but I assure you I am not. Many new studies have been done linking autoimmunity to inflammation. Just where does this inflammation come from? Your gut.

 

An unhealthy gut leads to a scarcely spoken condition called leaky gut. Leaky gut is when toxins from your intestines that should have stayed in your intestines � start to leak into your bloodstream. When there is such a high volume of toxins and bacteria leaking into your bloodstream, your body throws the immune system into hyper overdrive. Essentially you start to form antibodies to kill too many things to try and defend yourself against what�s actually harmful.

 

It might be surprising for you to know that about 80% of your immune system is housed in your gut. If you really think about it, though, it makes sense � right? Your intestines are where all the nasty bacteria and toxins are.

 

A leaky gut is finally becoming recognized in studies to not just be related to a healthy gut in some mysterious way, but it is being proven that if you have an autoimmune disease your gut is already leaky.

 

Toxins and Infections

 

Beyond the toxins that your leaky gut is already pouring into your bloodstream if you have autoimmunity, other outside toxins may also be to blame. Unfortunately, we are almost surely being exposed to some level of toxins every day just from the meat we buy at a local grocery store. One main culprit of dangerous toxins that lead to autoimmunity is fish. Fish can contain mercury which is involved in many cases of autoimmunity and it is toxic (and can even deadly) to humans.

 

If your house or apartment has problems with mold, don�t treat it like it�s no big deal. Certain household molds produce mycotoxins which set out to mess up your immune system, sometimes causing it to attack itself. On the other hand, getting infections from bacteria or viruses such as herpes, mono, and E. Coli can also contribute to autoimmunity.

 

Stress

 

Stress is a natural response to things like injury, infections, and emotional trauma. In the case of physical injury, stress increases inflammation in the area in question and actually can provide help to the healing process. However, chronic stress is the kind of stress we are dealing with today. Work, family, and physical pressures keep our body in a constant state of stress. This type of stress maintains a level of inflammation in the body that is unnatural. The related inflammation damages the immune system and can actually contribute to autoimmunity.

 

Gluten

 

If you don�t already know you are �gluten intolerant� you might not think of gluten as anything diabolical or dangerous. Unfortunately, gluten signals the release of zonulin, which controls the tight junctions in your intestines and signals them to �open wide� and let the junctions in your gut to release the toxins into your bloodstream. It sounds a little unbelievable that something as simple as bread Can cause autoimmunity and an unhealthy gut, but if you don�t believe me, take a look at this scientific journal concerning zonulin.

 

Genetics and Gender

 

Here are some more unbelievable stats when it comes to autoimmunity:

 

  • About 75% of people who suffer from autoimmunity are women
  • The incidence of Hashimoto�s Thyroiditis (an autoimmune disease) for women to men, is 10 to 1
  • The incidence of Graves disease is 7 to 1 for women against men
  • The incidence for systemic lupus is 9 to 1
  • Rheumatoid arthritis is 5 to 2

 

These stats are pretty striking when it comes to women and autoimmune disease, but if you take into consideration genetics, you can understand why. Some studies are starting to uncover that certain autoimmune diseases could be the result of a malfunction in the X chromosome. Since men have only one X chromosome and women have two, it makes sense why they are suffering through more autoimmunity than men.

 

If you�re suffering from autoimmunity, then you might think all this information is interesting but is it really helpful? Probably not. So let�s move on to the question that you really want to be answered.

 

What can you do to help reduce autoimmunity?

 

There are a lot of voices out there saying they have a way to reduce autoimmunity. So let us organize these voices into an understandable condensed version.

 

Traditional Treatments

 

Traditional treatments for autoimmunity include immune system suppressors, anti-inflammatory medicines, or palliative treatments (which means basically they just focus on removing the pain without focusing on the condition).

 

The purpose of immune system suppressors is to limit the amount of damage your immune system will cause to your body; there is an extreme risk, though, alongside this type of treatment. When you suppress your entire immune system to defend it against itself, you leave your body open to other dangerous illnesses. In a short-sighted way, suppressing your immune system will alleviate your systems.

 

Dealing with inflammation is a very important aspect of truly treating (and even curing) your autoimmune disease. However, using medications to temporarily reduce inflammation is kind of like slapping a soggy band-aid over a wound. Maybe it helps to lessen the bleeding for a little while, but it doesn�t help in the long run. Treating inflammation as a symptom helps in the short run; however, it�s more important to treat the cause of your inflammation.

 

Palliative treatment may be necessary for many painful cases of autoimmune disease. It can be very painful to endure some treatments and diseases and pain management is an important part of recovery. On the other hand, if you heavily rely on pain management to the point that you are no longer bothered by your pain, it may lull you into apathy concerning your condition. I have seen this many times in my practice, patients with severe knee pain will be very good about caring for their joints until they are high on pain medications. Once they feel no more pain you would find them being far more active in activities that are unhealthy for their joints.

 

To review: It is very important to use palliative treatment in conjunction with other treatments that are focused on the source of the problem.

 

Nutrition

 

Improving your nutrition is one of the best ways to deal with autoimmunity. This seems like it�s hard to believe, but like I said earlier, good health starts with your gut. For this reason, the foods and supplements that we take into our body (and therefore intestines) are directly correlated with our autoimmune health. There are many foods you can take to reduce autoimmune response. Some things you can do are:

 

Pay Attention to Vitamin Intake

 

Important vitamins for autoimmune health are vitamin D, vitamin C, magnesium, and vitamin B. Vitamin D is a huge immune system regulator. It contributes to a healthy immune system, and with proper intake, you will see a marked improvement in autoimmunity. In order to increase your vitamin D levels you should make sure you get a good amount of sun exposure daily. Alternatively, you can find a high-quality vitamin D3 supplement.

 

If you want to increase your magnesium and B vitamin levels you can consume dark leafy greens or broccoli. You can also find supplements that have both vitamin B and magnesium.

 

Vitamin C is good for immune health for a different reason: It encourages bowel movements. Why is this important? Moving your bowels consistently when you are tackling an autoimmune disease can flush out toxins that would have otherwise leaked into your bloodstream from your leaky gut and caused inflammation, which, in turn, would have increased an autoimmune response.

 

Consume Probiotic Foods

 

Consuming foods with probiotics regulate your gut flora and encourage healthy bacteria to colonize your gut and assist in the destruction of bad bacteria before it causes an autoimmune response and inflammation. For someone with an unhealthy gut (which means anyone with an autoimmune disease), introducing probiotics into your gut is an important part of recovery. This is because your gut is probably overrun with bad bacteria that are perpetually damaging your digestive tract. As you take medications, make bowel movements, or disturb your gut in any other way, you should constantly be reintroducing good bacteria through probiotic foods.

 

Some foods you can eat that have probiotic properties are dark leafy-greens, kimchi, certain yogurts, miso soup, and sauerkraut. You can find more information on probiotic foods here.

 

Consume Anti-Inflammatory Foods

 

Since the gut houses so much of your immune system, and inflammation is at the root of autoimmune disease, it�s important to avoid foods that cause inflammation and consume foods that reduce it. Some foods that reduce inflammation are olive oil, leafy greens (again), almonds, walnuts, healthy fats (like you find in fish), tomatoes, and some fruits like blueberries strawberries and cherries. Find more information on fighting inflammation through food here.

 

Take the Right Supplements

 

Supplements can be beneficial for you if you are suffering from autoimmunity. Like we already mentioned, some vitamin supplements can be helpful in different ways � like vitamin C moving your bowels. Also, you can take probiotic supplements to improve your gut flora.

 

Treat Toxins and Diseases

 

Earlier, we mentioned that certain toxins like that of molds can contribute to your autoimmunity. Carefully remove any toxins from your living space and diet. One good way to do this is to avoid fish that are known to have mercury such as shark and some tuna. You should also avoid red meat injected with chemicals and hormones.

 

Manage Your Stress

 

Since stress is something that can dampen your immune system, increase inflammation, and encourage autoimmunity, it�s important to remove any extra stress from your life. Practice deep relaxation, breathing techniques, get a massage, anything that can relieve stress. Another thing you can do is make a concerted effort to get good sleep every night. A proper amount of sleep during the night can do a lot to alleviate persistent stress.

 

In Conclusion

 

Autoimmune disease affects millions of Americans. It�s important to know exactly what autoimmunity is, what causes it, and how you can stop it completely. Obviously, it might not be possible to completely cure every case of serious autoimmune diseases, but by following the recommendations above, you can at least manage it more efficiently.

 

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900
 

By Dr. Alex Jimenez

 

Additional Topics: Wellness

 

Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.

 

blog picture of cartoon paperboy big news

 

TRENDING TOPIC: EXTRA EXTRA: About Chiropractic

 

 

The Connection Between Leaky Gut & Diabetes | Wellness Clinic

The Connection Between Leaky Gut & Diabetes | Wellness Clinic

Many people with diabetes are extremely conscious about their health, for this reason, they are continuously looking for ways to handle their diabetes more efficiently. However,how can they make a difference if they do not even understand the disease they are currently suffering from? Some factors are thought to cause this and make it even worse.

 

Leaky gut is one of those ailments; some also theorize that without a leaky gut, you can’t actually have type 2 diabetes. Not only could it cause diabetes, but it may perpetually make it even worse.

 

What is Leaky Gut?

 

Leaky gut can be called “intestinal hyperpermeability”. In simpler terms, it means that toxins on your gut may pass through the intestines and also leak in your entire body. As can be anticipated, this causes lots of medical problems.

 

Basically, leaky gut occurs when your digestive tract is weak in the poor diet, among other factors. The intestines worn and are currently thinning down. The “good bacteria” which assist you in breaking down your food and eliminating toxins are not flourishing. Leaky gut allows toxins to reside in the body which should have been expelled quite quickly, causing symptoms such as these:

 

  • Inflammation (sometimes severe)
  • Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn and ulcerative colitis)
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Food allergies
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Hepatitis
  • Pancreatitis
  • Arthritis
  • Diarrhea
  • Joint pain
  • Skin rash
  • Diabetes
  • AIDS

 

With such a lengthy list of conditions related to your leaky gut, you might begin to think it is a super-disease or something. Do not worry, it is not. Though it contributes to or causes some messed up stuff inside your body, it’s avoidable and even reversible. Some professionals even believe you could reverse severe and chronic disease (such as diabetes) by preventing that leaky gut.

 

You won’t discover much about leaky gut from mainstream physicians. Most doctors do not even test this yet. It is really somewhat of a mystery to most medical professionals. Linda A. Lee, MD, a gastroenterologist in John Hopkins Integrative Medicine and Digestive Center says “We do not understand a good deal, but we know that it exists.” She proceeds. “In the absence of evidence, we do not know… what treatments may directly address it.”

 

Other specialists, such as Donald Kirby, MD, refer to a leaky gut as a “very grey area”. Itself is a diagnosis of a disorder, it means that more research needs to be done, and an individualized diagnosis has to be made. What exactly does that mean? It usually means that the root of leaky gut can be any number of items, so you want to discover the cause. On this note, let’s take a look at some of these triggers.

 

What Causes Leaky Gut?

 

To reiterate, there isn’t any one conclusive cause due to the shortage of research done. However, there are a number of items upon this could give rise to your intestines getting weak, ineffective, and leaky agreed. These include:

 

  • Excessive alcohol usage (which can irritate the intestinal wall)
  • A poor diet (we will talk about this more)
  • Chemotherapy
  • Gluten
  • Stress
  • Antibiotics
  • Prescription hormone medicine
  • Prescription corticosteroids (like hydrocortisone)
  • Enzyme deficiency (like having lactose-intolerance)
  • Toxic metals
  • Aspirin, ibuprofen, and other anti-inflammatory drugs
  • Chemotherapy and radiation therapy

 

Your gut has a great deal of difficult work to do. Not only does it need to digest and break it down into nutrients to nourish your body, in addition, it has to guard you from toxins which would otherwise put in your bloodstream and of the waste products. This heavy responsibility warrants that we take care of our bowels. Unfortunately, the greater bulk of people today don’t even give a second thought.

 

Your typical American diet is filled with sugary soft drinks, white flour, and otherwise high tech, low-fiber foods. This leads to an unhealthy gut in which germs are useless and weak while bacteria flourish and harm your intestines. The walls of your intestines begin to neglect when the damage is too severe. They become permeable and start to permit the toxins and waste, so which was intended to remain right into your bloodstream.

 

Some of those other items on the above list, such as alcohol and some prescription and over-the-counter medications, also have a negative effect on the internal flora of your intestines. You have a harder time fighting the things that pass through it and digesting your food if the good bacteria is killed off in your gut. Your gut can begin to leak and becomes unhealthy as the good bacteria make way for bacteria.

 

How Exactly is Leaky Gut Connected to Diabetes?

 

To provide you the most shocking news first: new study suggests that you can have each of the genetic predispositions to diabetes in the world, however you’ll never really contract diabetes unless you’ve got a leaky gut also. This means (if this study is correct) for those who have diabetes, then you already have a leaky gut.

 

The largest link between migraines, leaky gut and diabetes is inflammation. Inflammation is involved with developing type 2 diabetes. In fact, many disorders are associated with inflammation such as:

 

  • Periodontal disease
  • Stroke
  • Heart disease
  • Insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes

 

When toxins leak from your intestines and in your bloodstream, this causes an immune response from the human body. The modest cells that your body sends out do their best to remove toxins and the bacteria from inducing damage than inflammation could ever cause. Unfortunately, that’s just what happens. The war against germs waged by your immune system induces a whole lot of inflammation.

 

Continuous abnormal inflammation (like that caused by a leaky gut) changes your natural insulin levels and actions, contributing to diabetes. You eventually form, once your body starts to become insensitive to insulin. You are able to see the cycle here. The more inflammation. The more inflammation, the insulin resistance. If you add that on top of a continuously leaky gut isn’t far off.

 

Inflammation causing insulin resistance has been observed by Mario Kratz, Ph.D., in experiments involving mice also. Some of the mice were fat, which caused a constant inflammation. Insulin resistance was developed by the mice with this inflammation. This left the question: was it that the inflammation, or Was the fat causing the insulin resistance? To answer this question, scientists bred mice that lacked the ability to generate certain immune responses that cause inflammation. Then they proceeded to feed. What was the result? These mice didn’t have insulin resistance. What does this mean? It usually means that the insulin resistance came in the inflammation, not the fat cells themselves. This supports researcher’s claims that diabetes is contributed to by inflammation caused by a leaky gut.

 

Another experiment conducted on mice in 2012 took a different approach. The mice were given a drug called Tamoxifen to simulate bad gut feature, ruin their inner ecology and kill healthy bacteria. The researchers found similarities between the bowels of mice with mice and diabetes whose guts were ruined with Tamoxifen. The two groups of mice enhanced, when given insulin. To the scientists, this demonstrated that diabetes is strongly associated with gut health.

 

To outline, scientists do not know everything about leaky gut and how it results in diabetes, but they are starting to learn more. There is certainly more research but it is apparent that an unhealthy gut doesn’t only have an effect on digestion, but can have side effects for the health of the body.

 

How Would I Know if I Have a Leaky Gut?

 

The very first thing you might do is refer back to the indicators of a leaky gut which we already laid out for you (things such as skin rashes, joint pain, nausea, chronic fatigue, and IBS), but that might not help you as much as you’d believe. The potential symptoms includes side effects of another list of distinct ailments that have nothing to do with a leaky gut.

 

Some other things you can look at would be things such as:

 

Food Sensitivity

 

When radicals are continuously leaking into your blood due to a leaky gut, your body is overproducing trigger-happy antibodies, and those antibodies start to attack things which they would not normally. This causes food sensitivity, particularly to milk and gluten.

 

Malabsorption

 

As you can imagine, people with a degenerative digestive tract that’s leaking, also have difficulty absorbing nutrients. This can become evident through side-effects like fatigue.

 

Thyroid Issues

 

Leaky gut can directly contribute to chronic thyroiditis. This also leads to slow metabolism, constipation, chronic fatigue, and depression.

 

Tests To Identify & Diagnose Leaky Gut

 

It is difficult to link some other symptom straight with leaky gut due to the fact that the symptoms might be the result of almost anything else. There are a few tests that you could do in order to see whether you’ve got it. Here are some tests which could be done to identify leaky gut:

 

Lactulose/Mannitol test

 

This test involves drinking a sugary solution. A urine sample tested and is removed. If lactulose and mannitol are present, it could suggest a leaky gut.

 

Stool Evaluation

 

An expensive test that assesses for bacteria and yeast to see if your gut is infected. This evaluation isn’t likely to be covered by your insurance.

 

What Can I do to Prevent or Cure Leaky Gut?

 

We have to keep in mind the germs that reside inside your body make up a very important ecosystem that keeps your digestive tract healthy. So let us start thinking about how we could make that job easier, or at least enjoyable your intestines have a job.

 

Since we have mentioned several times by now, leaky gut has a lot to do with your internal germs or intestine flora. Minimize bacteria and you want to maximize the amount of bacteria that are good. This may be done through diet and exercise. It sounds simple, but there is more to it in this circumstance.

 

What sort of diet do you really require?

 

When it comes to diet, it takes more than a simple “eat healthier!” Recommendation to fight an already leaky gut. You have to imagine that your bacteria is entirely dead. To counteract your useless gut flora, you ought to think about “re-seeding” it using healthy bacteria from your diet plan. You can accomplish so by eating probiotic foods like “lassi” (a noodle drink), fermented vegetables like kimchi, or other probiotic foods such as sauerkraut, miso, or kombucha (locate a listing of probiotic foods here).

 

One more thing you can do is eat naturally anti-inflammatory foods to counteract the side-effects of leaky gut. Some of those foods are things like avocados, walnuts, healthy fats (such as omega-3 fatty acids), and olive oil (find out more about anti-inflammatory foods here).

 

Once you get started ingesting foods which will combat a leaky gut such as those mentioned previously, it is time to stop eating foods that give rise to inflammation. These foods are things such as red meat, fried foods (such as french fries — sorry!) , refined carbs (think white bread), margarine, cheese (as well as other calcium-rich dairies). These foods aren’t easy in your gut flora and tend to increase inflammation in the body.

 

It would also be a good idea to avoid any trans fats, and sugary foods altogether. Refined sugar contributes. In light of diabetes, anything to help improve insulin levels and a leaky gut ought to be considered.

 

As a review, you should replace as many processed foods as possible with organic possibilities, re-seed your gut with good bacteria by eating fermented foods, and avoid foods that give rise to inflammation or insulin resistance.

 

What about supplements and medications?

 

There are particular things that may be taken orally that affect your gut flora at a positive or a negative manner that isn’t necessarily considered a portion of your diet. So let’s talk about drugs and nutritional supplements.

 

You will find nutritional supplements you may take in the kind of probiotics. This certainly can help improve your digestive tract function by maintaining a healthy gut flora. Probiotics give a large dose of one type of bacteria to you for your intestines that promote good digestion, absorption, and inflammation.

 

On the other hand, there are lots of drugs that harm your gut flora. Taking antibiotics may be necessary when you’re sick, but don’t overuse them in pill form or perhaps in antibacterial soap. Over just bacteria are killed by antibiotics, they kill the bacteria that are good as well.

 

Other substances you might encounter that you may not think about are things like chlorinated water, agricultural chemicals located on non-toxic vegetables and fruits, and traces of antibiotics located in factory-farmed meat might also harm your internal flora.

 

In Overview: Key Takeaway

 

Leaky gut definitely results in, and potentially causes diabetes alongside any number of different illnesses. Thankfully, it is avoidable and curable; thus look after your intestines. If you eat healthy, exercise, and maintain your inner flora, you will be thanked by your gut personally, and you can potentially get an upper hand or even avoid it altogether.

 

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
 

By Dr. Alex Jimenez

 

Additional Topics: Wellness

 

Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.

 

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Medical Schools Embrace Functional Medicine | Functional Chiropractor

Medical Schools Embrace Functional Medicine | Functional Chiropractor

Now that nearly 40 percent of American adults swear by some sort of complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM, from nutrition and mental comfort to acupuncture, magnet therapy, and international healing systems like traditional Chinese medicine and Indian ayurveda, a growing number of medical schools have embraced functional medicine.

 

What’s the benefit of CAM education in Medicine Schools?

 

“Interest in teaching alternative strategies has exploded, especially this past year,” states Laurie Hofmann, executive director of the Institute for Functional Medicine, which will be based in Gig Harbor, Wash. The nonprofit institute educates healthcare specialists to look for underlying systemic imbalances as a cause of illness rather than focus on treating symptoms and, when possible, to correct with lifestyle changes and mind-body techniques.

 

The Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine, which encourages the spread of CAM education, was founded in an initiative by eight academic medical centers; it now boasts 46 medical school members.

 

Traditional and CAM Medicine Education

 

Traditional studies of surgery and drugs or medications, naturally, still dwarfs class discussion of complementary and alternative medicine. However, students want to add complementary, integrative and functional medicine methods because they “know their potential patients will be using them,” says Shelly Adler, director of integrative medicine education at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, which has a history of teaching the subject.

 

“I could already see the limits of Western medicine, particularly when treating recurrent pain or other chronic problems. I thought other healing traditions could fill in some gaps,” says Carson Brown, a first year resident at San Mateo Medical Center in California. Spurred in part by the relief which acupuncture had provided her to get hip pain she took a two-week elective last year offered to UCSF students which covered topics from acupuncture to mind-body medicine.

 

A similar optional was started last spring in the Loma Linda University School of Medicine in California; the faculty is likely a second, more in-depth option on functional medicine for chronic conditions. An approach to handling, even reversing, diabetes, as an instance, highlights exercise and also a diet rich in foods that are whole, together with medication as a last resort, to provide overall health and wellness to future patients.

 

Effects of CAM Education in Colleges

 

The colleges insist that they approach the subject with an eye toward the signs, advocating only approaches that have withstood scientific scrutiny even as they examine some methods patients frequently use. But critics charge that this is not necessarily the case. A 2009 review in the journal Academic Medicine of a couple of course curricula discovered a bias “in favor of CAM,” noting recommendations of acupuncture for ailments like asthma in which there’s “no credible evidence” and instances of ignoring research, for instance, studies linking chiropractic manipulation with stroke.

 

At the University of Arizona, where bestselling CAM guru Andrew Weil is a part of the school, a program overhaul five years ago expanded the discussion beyond the scope of an elective or two. Based on the growing body of research supporting a few holistic remedies, especially nutrition, and of smaller-scale studies on other treatments with limited risks, such as journaling to help rheumatoid arthritis, “it made sense to integrate these ideas into a variety of courses,” says Victoria Maizes, executive director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine in the medical school.

 

As before, fourth-year students have the choice of a four-week elective on the subject. All students, in courses across the curriculum, recognized and now gain an understanding of the use of nourishment remedies in healing and prevention and of the body’s innate ability to heal itself. Members that have gone through the center’s full-fledged, two-year fellowship in medicine give pupils a window on how they could incorporate CAM into their practice.

 

One cardiovascular surgeon, for example, supplies surgical patients using pre-operative guided vision (shown in a lot of studies to decrease stress and aid healing), provides comprehensive nutrition guidance for heart health, and is researching the effectiveness of Reiki, an energy healing method that relies on touch, on surgical recovery.

 

There’s a fourth-year optional, too, that highlights the value of caring for the mind, body, and spirit of their physician in addition to the patients. Students not only learn about yoga and tai chi but they also practice these themselves to de-stress, Chiaramonte says. “Students recognize that, to be good healers, they need to facilitate their own wellness, that [it’s] is a part of healing a patient,” she says, a practice which can prove beneficial to them.

 

In Conclusion

 

For medical schools which can’t locate the tools or the space in their packed curricula to include CAM, a current Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) survey suggested that time, not lack of interest, is the prime impediment for the addition of such programs in their schools, where often an online education can fill the gap. The University of Arizona will establish a holistic course on wellness and prevention, open to medical students from different schools.

 

The IFM will debut Web-based modules on gastrointestinal health, the principles of functional medicine, and nutrition. (Time limitations are no doubt the reason a recent study in Academic Medicine found that only 27 percent of healthcare schools currently meet the minimum goal, set by the National Academy of Sciences, of 25 hours for course time.)

 

Whether or not pupils who know about alternative approaches ever include herbs or acupuncture in their own practices, believers say, they stand to gain from viewing medicine in a more holistic manner.

 

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
 

By Dr. Alex Jimenez

 

Additional Topics: Wellness

 

Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.

 

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Functional Medicine for Autoimmune Disease Prevention | Functional Chiropractor

Functional Medicine for Autoimmune Disease Prevention | Functional Chiropractor

Autoimmune disease affects up to 50 million Americans, according to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association. Why are so many people affected by these chronic pain conditions? There are a number of factors that may cause the human body to attack its own cells, some of which can be modified.

 

What lifestyle modifications can help improve autoimmune diseases?

 

Unfortunately, conventional treatment options often focus on solely relieving symptoms, in the belief that there are no cures for autoimmune diseases. However, autoimmune diseases still undergo cycles of flare-ups and remission. In accordance with Dr. Dempster, a healthcare professional in alternative treatment, functional medicine looks at your complete health picture by addressing fundamental factors of your biochemical, physical, and emotional well-being.

 

Why is this important? Your body naturally wants to become healthy and at a state of balance. Nonetheless, things occur to upset that balance. It’s believed that autoimmune disorders can be triggered by numerous factors, such as poor diet, chemical irritants, environmental toxins, pharmaceuticals, and even bacteria or germs, to name a couple. Individuals often undermine their health and that’s why it’s crucial to take a functional medicine approach.

 

Common Factors Behind Autoimmune Disorders

 

Diet: A quick glance at today’s supermarket shelves shows that the American diet is packed with highly processed foods, most of which have very little nutrient value, but carry varying amounts of detrimental chemicals and other components. Even so-called wellness foods are lacking in essential vitamins and minerals. Functional medicine practitioners are qualified to look into a patient’s diet in order to help determine the proper nutrition they should follow to achieve their desired health and wellness. A balanced diet can naturally improve autoimmune responses.

 

Chronic stress: Mental health, including stress, depression and anxiety, can have a direct effect on physical health. Today’s world supplies chronic stress than other occasions ever. Other websites and television supply a constant stream of crime violence and risks. Every night, many people don’t get enough sleep and some may suffer from insomnia related to stress. Most are overscheduled, overbooked and overrun, without the time for meditation and rejuvenation. Participating in stress management has been demonstrated to reduce chronic stress symptoms.

 

Toxins: Pesticides, antibiotic overuse, heavy metals, EMF pollution, pharmaceuticals, GMOs, heavily processed foods, poor water quality, smog and pollution runoff are only a couple of the elements of our daily lives that regularly serve up a load of toxins and impurities in the body. Over time, our bodies become less able to cope and fight off these effects. Research studies have concluded that exposure to harmful toxins can aggravate autoimmune disease symptoms.

 

Fortunately, functional medicine provides a means to get at the underlying causes of autoimmune disease using a systems-oriented approach, engaging practitioner and patient at a therapeutic partnership. Functional medicine is a much better approach to healthcare in the world of today, allowing chance for patients and healthcare professionals to examine environmental, lifestyle and genetic variables together. In an individualized manner, healthcare demands are addressed this way, acknowledging the special expression of well-being in every patient.

 

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
 

By Dr. Alex Jimenez

 

Additional Topics: Wellness

 

Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.

 

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TRENDING TOPIC: EXTRA EXTRA: About Chiropractic

 

 

Functional Medicine Approach to Proper Sleep | Functional Chiropractor

Functional Medicine Approach to Proper Sleep | Functional Chiropractor

Over 60 million Americans suffer from some type of sleep disorder. And as many as 1 in 6 of them use potentially-addictive prescription sleep drugs with harmful side effects, which are associated with a threefold increased risk of cancer and death. It’s important to understand how essential sleep is and how alternative treatment approaches, including integrative functional medicine, are fundamental towards a natural remedy to proper sleep.

 

How can we promote sleep naturally?

 

Research from Harvard University has shown that the worker loses 11 times of productivity every year due to insomnia. Meanwhile studies over the past decade have associated poor sleep with dementia, diabetes, obesity, depression, cardiovascular disease and stroke. Billions of dollars per year are spent on costs related to sleepiness, such as missed work days, doctor visits, prescriptions and hospital services for car crash accidents, all thanks directly to individual sleep deprivation. While some of these costs are necessary, getting effective care can make a difference.

 

Recently, the impact of sleep on health has been getting an increasing number of attention from scientists that are realizing that sleep is an active and dynamic state. The latest attention has been on the importance of adequate sleep for the brain’s physiological maintenance. Turns out, while you sleep a plumbing system called the glymphatic system opens up between the brain cells and literally flushes out toxic molecules involved in neurodegenerative disorders.

 

This wealth of science could be overpowering, and for many it only adds to the anxiety of “not having sufficient sleep.” According to many integrative and functional medicine practitioners, proper sleep, being an important element in overall health and wellness, can be achieved naturally by following a series of recommendations.

 

Here are five simple ways to troubleshoot poor sleep now:

 

Avoid Blue Light Before Bed

 

The displays of tablets, smartphones and some computers emit a blue wavelength light which affects your Suprachiastmatic Nucleus (SCN), a pinhead sized arrangement that includes 20,000 neurons and controls your sleep cycle, and decreases melatonin generation causing sleep disruptions. If you absolutely must study your phone before bed, get the F.lux app. It’s a program that filters the light mimicking sundown emanating from the device in order that it is blue/black predominant and it’s red overriding and reducing your exposure to blue light during the night.

 

If you Wake Up, Get Up

 

In his book At Day’s Close: Night in Times Past, A. Roger Ekirch clarifies that historically, humans slept in 2 shifts: one to get a couple of hours when the sun went down, and another from the early hours of the morning before dawn. In between, they woke up, often for a couple of hours, to tend the fire, have intercourse or pray, and this was completely normal. It was only after electricity extended daylight past sunset that sleeping patterns changed.

 

So in the event that you end up waking up in the middle of the night struggling to fall back asleep, don’t toss and turn and cultivate stress and anxiety from being awake, instead, get up and get out of bed, stretch, meditate, make love, and/or do something else that doesn’t require turning on the lights.

 

Quit Caffeine

 

Many patients seeking care for their sleeping problems and who do not sleep well claim that there’s no way coffee is the culprit. Research proves that even sleep can be disrupted by only one cup of drip coffee even if taken early in the day. And if you are one of the countless people who have a genetic version of an enzyme called CYP1A2, you may metabolize caffeine more slowly than others, which not just puts you at greater risk of disrupted sleep, in addition, it puts you at greater chance of experiencing a heart attack if you’re a caffeine drinker.

 

Also remember that sodas would be the No. 1 reason behind American’s increased caffeine ingestion since the 1970’s and that a bit of dark chocolate may have up to 30 milligrams of caffeine.

 

Take Magnesium Before Bed

 

Magnesium is an essential mineral that up to 70 percent of the populace is deficient in. It has many uses such as nervous system function, brain and muscle.�Magnesium can relieve anxiety and naturally support deeper sleep.

 

Face Anxiety Head On

 

Back in 2011, more than 74 million prescriptions have been written for two drugs, Xanax and Valium, a truth that says Americans have a serious problem with anxiety.

 

Functional medicine practitioners who begin working with people on their sleeping disorders, begin by looking after the fundamentals, like sleeping in a cool room, cutting on caffeine, and preventing time spent in front of screens and also the blue light that they radiate, but this process is often like peeling back an onion, revealing that the deeper anxiety may be the true reason that drives sleep disturbance at the heart.

 

If anxiety is causing you to toss and turn or have difficulty falling asleep, try creating a meditation practice before you turn to sleep aids. A scientific review of 47 studies appearing over 3,500 individuals has shown that meditation can decrease anxiety, depression and pain, and even though there are natural non-addictive sleep aids like magnesium, getting to stress at the heart is much better than a tablet, even a normal one.

 

Qualified and experienced functional medicine practitioners work with patients for as long as it takes to receive their sleep quality to where it ought to be. What surprises people most is the way foods they’re eating may be maintaining their brain wired, via irritation in their gut. The recent focus about the gut-brain axis has shed much light onto the brain’s sensitivity to whatever is happening in the intestine, and vice versa. It is a good time for personalized medical care that is root-cause. Improving the health of the body as a whole can have wholesome benefits on wellness.

 

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
 

By Dr. Alex Jimenez

 

Additional Topics: Wellness

 

Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.

 

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The Functional Medicine Tree & its Principles | Functional Chiropractor

The Functional Medicine Tree & its Principles | Functional Chiropractor

Do you believe that taking pills doesn’t solve the underlying issue, and do you want to work with a practitioner who believes in the same manner? Fortunately, an increasing number of clinicians are practicing functional medicine.

 

What is functional medicine?

 

Functional medicine is an evidence-based clinical strategy that addresses the environmental effects and ailments that underlie disorder, with the concept that when those are treated, the body can return to its normal state of health and equilibrium. The content delves into the guiding principles and approach of FM, to help you determine whether dealing with a functional medicine practitioner is what you want on your journey toward healing and maintaining health.

 

Principles of Functional Medicine

 

The Textbook of Functional Medicine defines FM because the “prevention, early assessment, and enhanced management of complex, chronic disorder by intervening at multiple levels to fix heart health imbalances and thus restore each patient’s functionality and health to the greatest extent possible.” FM is based on six core principles:

 

  • Recognizing the individuality and genetic uniqueness of every human being
  • Supporting a holistic, patient-centered–rather than disease-centered–approach to treatment
  • Trying to Find a dynamic equilibrium between body, mind, and soul
  • Acknowledging the interconnectedness of all inner body functions
  • Seeing health as a positive vitality–not just the absence of disease
  • Striving to Improve the health span, not just the life span, of every patient

 

Strategy: The Functional Medicine Tree

 

A FM practitioner behaves as a detective, exploring the clinical imbalances that provide rise to a symptoms, then delving into the root causes–environmental factors and genetic trends that affect your well-being. This model can be compared to a tree, imbalances are represented by the back, where the symptoms are represented by the leaves, and the roots will be the dispositions.

 

The Leaves: Symptoms

 

Your symptoms are equal into the leaves of a shrub: highly visible and a significant indication of your underlying health. FM professionals use symptoms as guides to better comprehend the underlying ailments, rather than focusing on treating symptoms directly (which can be vital, but not the ultimate goal).

 

The Trunk: Clinical Imbalances

 

Like a tree trunk branching into leaves, systemic ailments develop into symptoms. FM practitioners thoroughly explore possible imbalances to gain a view. In FM, imbalances are categorized within the following systems and processes:

 

  • The nervous and hormonal system
  • The process of altering food, atmosphere, and water to energy
  • The procedure for detoxifying and removing waste
  • The immune system and inflammatory response
  • Digestive system
  • Structures – from the cellular to musculoskeletal level

 

A condition as simple as chronic headaches can point to an imbalance in one or many of these types, and it is the responsibility of an FM practitioner to determine what procedure or process is not optimally functioning.

 

The Roots: The Environment and Genetic Disposition

 

Environmental inputs and your genetic disposition are similar to the origins of a tree: they give rise to clinical imbalances, which then become symptoms.

 

Environment. Lifestyle options and toxic exposures can influence your health. The effects may not appear straight away, because your body is more resilient, but might collect with time and finally cause a condition. To determine medical imbalances’ root, an FM practitioner may ask questions like:

 

  • Have you been getting the right nutrients and exercise?
  • Are you exposed to toxic substances or radiation?
  • Would you possibly have parasites (it is more common than you think!) ?
  • Do you have allergies?
  • Have you undergone injury?
  • Do you have a healthy support network?

 

Genetic Disposition. Environmental variables are filtered through your genetic (physical, mental, and psychological) tendencies. Your perspectives, beliefs, and also the special way your body and brain process inputs can affect your susceptibility to certain conditions that are developing. Changing your perception of a circumstance, processing a traumatic memory, or learning how to better handle stress can go a long way on your recovery.

 

The functional medicine approach involves investigating every aspect that may be influencing your wellness and enabling you to have an active part in your healing. Rather than giving you drugs so that you can fully heal from the ground up, the objective is to dig into the root of the problem.

 

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
 

By Dr. Alex Jimenez

 

Additional Topics: Wellness

 

Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.

 

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TRENDING TOPIC: EXTRA EXTRA: About Chiropractic