Good Yeast, Bad Yeast

Valentine's Day is the perfect opportunity to show your love with thoughtful gifts that align with your partner's Paleo lifestyle.

One of the reasons fad diets often fail is because they are not sustainable. The other reason is because they usually harm different systems in the body as much as they are meant to help. As with all health issues, when it comes to diet, everything should be in moderation. The following five diet points all involve TOO much of a “good thing”:

From Seed Oils to Sustainable Farming: How We Can Reclaim Our Health and Make America Healthy Again

Hormones. The Hot Topic for Men + Women

Cortisol and weight gain often go hand in hand, but there are ways to break the cycle. Discover five effective ways to reduce cortisol levels and prevent weight gain.

It’s a safe bet that many people today are dealing with sluggish livers, even if they don't realize it. With the constant exposure to toxins in our modern environment, the liver, our body’s primary detox organ, is working overtime to clear out the “junk” we encounter every day. Whether it’s heavy metals, chemical pollutants, mold, or even stress, your liver is under constant pressure to keep up. While it’s easy to assume that most of us have some level of liver dysfunction, it’s important to understand how serious the situation is for each individual. A sluggish liver can lead to a variety of health issues, but it’s not always easy to pinpoint without the right testing. That’s where a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) comes in, offering valuable insights into liver function and overall health. Here’s how an HTMA can help assess liver health and why you should consider this test for yourself or your family. 1. Cobalt Levels: A Clue to Liver Health One of the best indicators of liver performance that shows up on an HTMA panel is cobalt. Cobalt is a mineral that has two sides: as part of Vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin or hydroxocobalamin), and as a toxic metal in high amounts. When the liver isn’t functioning properly, the body can’t absorb Vitamin B12 efficiently, leading to cobalt accumulation in the liver. This build-up can manifest in various health issues, including thyroid problems, tinnitus, blood thickening, and even vision or hearing loss. Elevated cobalt levels in the hair can be a red flag that the liver is under stress. By paying attention to cobalt levels in an HTMA, you can get a clearer picture of your liver’s ability to detoxify and absorb essential nutrients. 2. The Sodium/Potassium Ratio: A Life-Death Indicator Another vital aspect of liver health reflected in HTMA results is the sodium to potassium (Na/K) ratio. Sometimes referred to as the “Life-Death” ratio, this measurement reveals a lot about your body's overall stress and energy levels. A low Na/K ratio typically indicates burnout, chronic fatigue, low stomach acid, and compromised immune function. All of these issues are connected to liver dysfunction. The body’s inability to detoxify and heal is often a result of chronic stress and infections, which can further impair liver function. If you have infections, the liver may be struggling to keep up with the detox demands, making the Na/K ratio a valuable marker for assessing overall liver health. 3. Heavy Metal Levels: A Key Sign of Liver Strain Heavy metals like mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, and aluminum are highly toxic to the body. When these metals show up in an HTMA panel, it’s a clear indication that the liver is working hard to detoxify the system. Interestingly, low levels of heavy metals can also signal liver trouble. If your HTMA shows little to no heavy metal excretion, it could mean the body is storing these toxins rather than eliminating them. This often points to an overburdened or sluggish liver that isn’t able to keep up with the detoxification demands. Either way, the presence (or absence) of heavy metals is an important clue that your liver might be overwhelmed, making it crucial to support proper detoxification pathways. 4. Oxidation Rate: Slow Metabolism, Slow Detox HTMA also helps assess the body’s metabolic rate through the oxidation rate, which is the balance between calcium and phosphorus. When this ratio is elevated, it indicates slow oxidation, meaning a slower metabolism. People with slow oxidation rates tend to be poor eliminators, meaning they struggle to detoxify and remove toxins from the body. This is another key indicator that the liver is sluggish and not able to efficiently process toxins. When your metabolism slows down, so does your liver’s ability to clear out harmful substances, leaving you feeling fatigued, bloated, and overwhelmed. 5. Lithium Levels: A Detoxification Powerhouse Lithium is a fascinating and often overlooked mineral when it comes to liver health. While most commonly known for its pharmaceutical use in treating bipolar disorder, lithium also plays an important role in detoxification. On an HTMA panel, low lithium levels can indicate poor detoxification, particularly in terms of glutathione production. Glutathione is the body’s master antioxidant, essential for detoxifying the liver and protecting cells from oxidative damage. If lithium is low, it may suggest that your liver is struggling to produce enough glutathione to keep up with detox demands. Although research on lithium’s role in detoxification is still emerging, clinical evidence points to its importance in supporting healthy liver function. The Bottom Line: Start with Minerals for Better Detoxification The liver is central to your body’s ability to detoxify, but it can’t do the job alone. Minerals are the foundation of every detox pathway in the body. Without adequate mineral support, detoxification can’t happen effectively, no matter how many supplements or herbs you take. This is why it’s so important to use HTMA testing to assess mineral levels and create a plan to restore balance. When you support the body with the right minerals, you can improve liver function, increase detoxification, and enhance overall health. Why Wait?  Something Big is Coming! If you’re ready to get serious about your liver health and understand your body’s detox capabilities, there’s no better way to start than with an HTMA test. This test provides critical insights into your mineral balance, liver health, and overall metabolic function. And the best part? A major deal is coming your way this Thanksgiving! Keep an eye on your emails because you won’t want to miss out on what’s coming—a huge opportunity to get the testing and insights you need to take control of your health. Make sure you’re ready for this game-changing offer—it’s going to be the deal of the year!

Are you struggling to lose weight? Functional medicine may be the solution you've been looking for. This guide explores the role of functional medicine in weight loss and provides practical tips for success.

If you have followed our discussions over the past several weeks, you now understand that minerals are indispensable for maintaining overall health. What may be less known is their critical role in preserving the integrity and function of the digestive system. Our gut relies heavily on the proper balance of minerals to maintain digestion, nutrient absorption, and immunity. When mineral balance is disrupted, it can lead to a cascade of digestive problems and gut imbalances that perpetuate a cycle of poor health. To support optimal gut function and overall wellness, understanding the roles that key minerals like calcium, magnesium, selenium, zinc, and electrolytes play is essential. Calcium: Enhancing Digestive Function with Hydrochloric Acid One of the most critical functions of calcium in the digestive system is its role in enhancing the production of hydrochloric acid (HCl) in the stomach. HCl is essential for breaking down food, particularly proteins, and it helps to sterilize the stomach by killing harmful pathogens before they reach the intestines. Without sufficient HCl, digestion can be compromised, leading to indigestion, bloating, and malabsorption of nutrients. Beyond digestion, calcium’s influence on hydrochloric acid production also helps improve intestinal permeability, often referred to as "leaky gut." Leaky gut occurs when the tight junctions of the intestinal lining weaken, allowing undigested particles and toxins to enter the bloodstream, triggering inflammation. By enhancing HCl production, calcium can help tighten these junctions and reduce permeability. Additionally, calcium plays a key role in easing diarrhea by helping to regulate fluid balance in the intestines. Chronic diarrhea can result in a significant loss of essential minerals, creating a vicious cycle of malabsorption and further mineral deficiencies. By supporting gut integrity and fluid balance, calcium helps break this cycle, making it a critical mineral for gut health. Magnesium: Balancing Calcium and Supporting Bowel Regularity Magnesium works in harmony with calcium to balance its stimulatory effects on hydrochloric acid production. Where calcium promotes HCl production, magnesium ensures that this process doesn't become overstimulated, which could lead to excessive acid levels and related discomforts. Magnesium also plays a key role in promoting regular bowel movements and easing constipation. It helps to relax the muscles in the digestive tract, allowing for smoother movement of stool through the intestines. This mineral also supports gallbladder function by ensuring that bile is properly emptied, which aids in fat digestion and overall gut health. In cases of constipation, magnesium can offer relief by drawing water into the intestines, which helps soften stool and promote regularity. Proper magnesium levels are vital for preventing digestive sluggishness and maintaining optimal motility throughout the digestive system. Selenium: A Protector of the Gut and Pancreas Selenium is often praised for its powerful antioxidant properties, but it is also crucial for gut and pancreatic health. Selenium helps to reduce inflammation in the digestive system by supporting the production of selenoproteins, which are anti-inflammatory in nature. These proteins play a key role in protecting the gut lining from oxidative stress and inflammatory damage, both of which can contribute to conditions like leaky gut and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Furthermore, selenium supports pancreatic health by promoting the production of digestive enzymes. These enzymes are necessary for the breakdown of food and nutrient absorption. Without adequate selenium, pancreatic function can become impaired, leading to issues with digestion and nutrient malabsorption. In addition to its role in the pancreas, selenium helps to promote a healthy gut microbiome by reducing oxidative stress, which allows beneficial bacteria to thrive. A balanced microbiome is essential for optimal digestion, immune function, and even mental health, making selenium a vital mineral for overall gut wellness. Zinc: Essential for Gut Lining Integrity and Immune Support Zinc plays a critical role in promoting the production of pancreatic enzymes, which are essential for the proper digestion of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Without adequate levels of these enzymes, food cannot be broken down efficiently, leading to malabsorption and digestive discomfort. Zinc is also crucial for maintaining the integrity of the gut lining. It supports the tight junctions between cells in the intestinal wall, preventing leaky gut and the associated inflammatory responses. By ensuring a healthy gut barrier, zinc reduces the risk of systemic inflammation and the development of autoimmune conditions. In the gut, zinc also helps to regulate immune cells and decrease inflammation. It protects against oxidative damage caused by excess iron and copper, which can otherwise trigger inflammation. Furthermore, zinc promotes microbiome diversity, which is key to a healthy and resilient gut. Zinc also helps ease diarrhea by reducing intestinal inflammation and promoting fluid balance, making it an essential mineral for gut health. Electrolytes: Hydration and Digestive Regularity Electrolytes—namely sodium, chloride, and potassium—are essential for maintaining proper hydration and fluid balance in the body. These minerals help to regulate bowel motility and ensure that waste moves smoothly through the digestive tract. Proper electrolyte balance supports regular bowel movements and prevents both constipation and diarrhea by maintaining the correct levels of fluid in the intestines. The Vicious Cycle: Mineral Deficiencies and Gut Health When inflammation or imbalance occurs in the gut, it often leads to the malabsorption of minerals and vitamins, which can exacerbate gut dysfunction. Over time, this creates a vicious cycle where poor gut health leads to further mineral deficiencies, which in turn worsens digestive problems. Breaking this cycle requires a two-pronged approach: supporting both mineral balance and digestion. This is why I almost always recommend Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) in conjunction with other functional medicine testing to assess and address mineral imbalances. Conclusion Maintaining a balanced intake of essential minerals is crucial for supporting gut health. Calcium, magnesium, selenium, zinc, and electrolytes each play unique roles in digestion, absorption, and gut integrity. Without these key minerals, digestive health suffers, leading to a cascade of health problems. To break the cycle of malabsorption and gut dysfunction, it’s essential to address both mineral balance and digestive function simultaneously. Sign up for my newsletter to stay informed about exciting new ways to support your gut health and keep an eye out for something big coming this holiday season! You won't want to miss it!