The Link Between Food Intolerance, Hormones and Your Gut Health

The Link Between Food Intolerance, Hormones and Your Gut Health

by | May 12, 2020 | Adrenals, Autoimmune, Blood Sugar, Blood Sugar, Diets, Endometriosis, Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, GI Inflammation, GI or Gut Health, Gut Health, Hair Loss, Hashimotos Disease, Hormones, Hypothyroid, Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Leaky Gut, Men's Health, PCOS, Podcast Episodes, Skin Health, Testosterone, The DrNirvana Diet, Thryoid, Weight Gain, Weight Loss, Wellness

Welcome to Regenerate You!

If you find yourself struggling with food intolerances of any kind, then it’s most likely causing an imbalance in your hormones as well. And if you’ve been diagnosed with low testosterone, PCOS, estrogen dominance, thyroid issues, or insulin resistance; then your food sensitivities are making them worse.

In this Podcast, I discuss how they’re linked and where to begin to help heal and regenerate your body from the attack on your immune system.

If you’re looking for additional advice, feel free to visit my blog here. You can also stay connected with me on my Facebook page @DrNirvanaHeals or on my Instagram @DrNirvana.

Please subscribe and share this podcast to spread the health.

 

And remember, when you regenerate, there’s a new you every day!

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Regenerative Health Program™

Regenerative Health Program™

by | Jan 14, 2020 | Anti-Aging, Beauty, Belly Fat, Brain Health, Cholesterol, Depression, Detox, Diets, Endometriosis, Energy, Estrogen, Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, GI Inflammation, GI or Gut Health, Gut Health, Hair Loss, Hashimotos Disease, Holistic Tips, Hormones, Immunity, Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Leaky Gut, Liver Health, Men's Health, PCOS, Periods, PMS, Regenerative Health Program, Sleep, Stress, Testosterone, Tooth Health, Weight Gain, Weight Loss, Weight Loss Program, Wellness, women's health

The Regenerative Health Program™
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I’m so glad you’re here.

By allowing me to help you, you are about to end your battle with fatigue, lack of confidence, a constant state of discomfort, mood swings, painful periods and a simple lack luster for life.

How can my Regenerative Health Program™ help you? Let’s discuss how I will reprogram every cell of your body, to come back to life.

The Next  Big Thing

in Holistic Medicine

Navigating your own health is similar to starting a new recipe without knowing how to cook. You have an idea of what ingredients to use, but have no idea how to put it all together.

This is where I come in…

I found the Regenerative Health Program™ to help teach you how to renew every cell of your body. 

Begin Now

Reprogram Your Health

To Reinvent Your Life

Discover the Real You

By regenerating your health struggles, into your ideal self

Regenerate

 

I’m dedicated in helping you have a firm grasp on understanding why your health turned upside down, while supporting your decisions to choose whichever path you prefer in the healing process.

 

 

Reinventing Your Health

THIS IS WHAT I NEED

I’m guiding you

step by step…

On which ingredients to buy and how to put the recipe together. I take your entire picture, along with your labs, to to paint a clear picture of how you got to where you are, what to do to fix it, and what’s coming down the pipeline if you don’t act now.

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My job is to teach you how to care for your body so well that you know exactly what to do when things get a little off balance.

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If you’re suffering from symptoms of imbalance, hair loss, chronic fatigue, PMS, hypothyroidism, adrenal dysfunction, fibroids, endometriosis and have seen everyone and tried everything, I can offer you solutions on your healing journey that will help you to get your life back. A full life of fun, happiness and ease. It’s time to end your needless suffering.

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Is your Need for Weed Good for your Body?

Is your Need for Weed Good for your Body?

by | Jun 24, 2019 | Brain Health, Energy, Estrogen, Fatigue, Men's Health, Weight Gain, Weight Loss Program, women's health

How Marijuana Use can Affect your Hormones and Overall Health

While Cannabis (or Marijuana) is being legalized in more and more states, both the adverse and beneficial effects of its use are starting to be better understood. The active compound in cannabis, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is widely known to have effects on the brain, producing the “high” that many users are seeking. However, the other more adverse effects cannabis can have on the body are less widely known. In this article, I want to focus mainly on how cannabis can affect your hormones, primarily through the pituitary, thyroid, and adrenal glands, and the reproductive system.

The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) and How It Works

Endocannabinoids are molecules naturally produced in the body in small amounts that act on cannabinoid receptors and play important roles in various processes. There are 2 types of cannabinoid receptors in the body, CB1 and CB2, and a few orphan receptors that also bind with the endocannabinoids. These are the same receptors that THC and CBD binds and activates. The ECS is involved in regulating fertility, pregnancy, appetite, pain-sensation, mood, memory, energy balance, homeostasis, and the immune system. It is also responsible for “runner’s high” through spikes in endocannabinoids circulating in the blood to the brain, where it affects the reward center of the brain through dopamine release. 

The short explanation of how THC works is that it binds to the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 on the outer membranes of the cells. The levels of the amount of cannabinoids  made in the body are regulated by the amount enzymes made and how they are broken down in the body.  The CB1 receptor is mostly found in the brain whereas CB2 is found in tissues found in the immune system and the gut. However endocannabinoids also react with the ion channel TRVP1 which reduces the perception of pain when activated. Natural responses such as exercise, weight management, stress reduction and elimination of toxins also activate this same channel. 

Hemp contains CBD which is similar to THC, the difference is only by one ring in CBD which allows it to bend, whereas THC is flat. This difference explains why it doesn’t contain the same psychotropic properties that THC does. Another difference between Hemp and Marijuana is that Hemp  is a term used to classify varieties of Cannabis that contain 0.3% or less THC content (by dry weight). Marijuana however is a term used to classify varieties of Cannabis that contain more than 0.3% THC (by dry weight) and can induce psychotropic or euphoric effects.

Cannabis’s Effects on the Adrenals

The Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis controls the stress response ultimately through the release of cortisol. When different regions of the brain sense a stressor (whether emotional, chemical, physical, or pathogenic), neural signals are sent to the hypothalamus which triggers the release of various “brain hormones” into the bloodstream. It has been shown that THC increases circulating cortisol levels after use (2,3). For infrequent cannabis users, this increase in cortisol can cause increases in blood pressure and anxiety (4). In long-term users, sustained increase of cortisol blunts the body’s natural reactions to changes in cortisol and can affect a woman’s libido and menstrual cycle. Long-term use also has the potential to blunt the morning spike of cortisol. Upon waking, cortisol levels spike, slowly declining throughout the day. This spike of cortisol making it more difficult to shake off sleep and function normally…yikes!

Cannabis’s Effects on the Thyroid

The Hypothalamus’ effect on the thyroid is responsible for maintaining metabolic rate, heart and digestive functions, muscle control, brain development, and bone health. THC however, inhibits secretion of thyroid hormone from the pituitary gland (5,6,). This effect is dose-dependent, meaning the more you consume, the more it depresses TSH levels in your blood. This decrease in TSH levels causes a decrease in synthesis of active thyroid hormones. This results in symptoms of hypothyroidism including fatigue, weight gain, cold intolerance, depression, decreased libido, and abnormal menstrual cycles.

Cannabis’s Effects on the Reproductive System

The hypothalamus secretes gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) which stimulates the pituitary to secrete follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). FSH and LH are important in regulating gonadal function in both sexes. In women, FSH and LH are important for pubertal development and ovarian function and play an important role during the menstrual cycle. In men, FSH is essential to the function of the testes and their production of sperm and LH stimulates the production of testosterone. 

THC use in women inhibits the maturation of the ovarian follicle, and ovulation, through the mitochondria (7). During ovulation, the body releases a surge of endocannabinoids in the ovary; excess cannabinoids from cannabis consumption can disrupt the ovulatory surge and lead to an irregular cycle while preventing the conversion of progesterone. THC also has an impact on the developing fetus so stopping cannabis use while trying to conceive will help both you and your developing baby (12).

THC use in men has been shown to decrease sperm count, reduce serum testosterone, reduce sperm motility, and inhibit the processes needed to facilitate sperms’ ability to achieve conception (7,10,11). These effects can lead to a decrease in fertility in both men and women, but fertility can return if cannabis use discontinues.

If you are a habitual Marijuana user and your energy level and sex-drive are lackluster, it may be wise to periodically test your levels of adrenal hormones (cortisol, DHEA-S), sex hormones (estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone), and thyroid hormones (T4, T3, TSH, TPOab) to make sure THC isn’t blunting your edge. Simple and convenient urine tests can help determine if cannabis use is impacting your overall health. 

References

[1] Hill MN, et al. Endogenous cannabinoid signaling is essential for stress adaptation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2010;107:9406-11.

[2] Hilliard CJ, et al. Endocannabinoid signaling and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Compr Physiol. 2018;7: 1-15.

[3] Ranganathan M, et al. The effects of cannabinoids on serum cortisol and prolactin in humans. Psychopharmacology. 2009;203:737-44.

[4] Cservenka A, et al. Cannabis use and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning in humans. Front. Psychiatry 2018;9:472.

[5] Malhotra S, et al. Effect of cannabis use on thyroid function and autoimmunity. Thyroid. 2017;27:167-73.

[6] Hillard CJ, et al. The effects of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on serum thyrotropin levels in the rat. 1984;20:547-50.

[7] Walker OS, et al. The role of the endocannabinoid system in female reproductive tissue. J Ovarian Res. 2019;12:3.

[8] Brown TT, Dobs AS. Endocrine effects of marijuana. J Clin Pharmacol. 2002;42:90S-96S.

[9] Liu X, Herbison AE. Dopamine regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone excitability in male and female mice. 20113;154O:340-50.

[10] Kolodny RC, et al. Depression of plasma testosterone levels after chronic intensive marihuana use. N Engl J Med. 1974;290:872-4.

[11] Gundersen TD, et al. Association between use of cannabis and male reproductive hormones and semen quality: a study among 1215 healthy young men. Am J Epidemiol. 2015;182:473-81.

[12] Velez ML, et al. Cannabis use disorders during perinatal period. In: cannabis use disorders. 2018:177-188.

 

Dr. Nirvana Lectures on Balancing Hormones to Release Weight

by | Apr 16, 2019 | Anti-Aging, Belly Fat, Blog, Blood Sugar, Calories, Estrogen, Fatigue, Hormones, Insulin Resistance, Periods, PMS, Thryoid, Weight Gain, Weight Loss, Weight Loss Program, Wellness, women's health

Dr. Nirvana Lectures on Balancing Hormones to Release Weight

When working with patients in my Practice, I hear a lot of similar comments. In particular:

  • I’m eating all the right foods, but I still can’t lose the weight.
  • There’s nothing I can do to lose weight, it’s genetic.
  • I’m just getting old and my metabolism has decreased.
  • These last 10 pounds just won’t go away—I want to give up.
  • There are certain foods I can’t stop eating even though I suspect they’re bad for me.
  • I crave sugar like crazy.
  • Diets that work for others don’t seem to work for me.
  • I lose five pounds, and then I regain seven.
  • I’m tired of and frustrated with weight loss.

Do those statements also resonate with you? If so, you might not know an important secret: the reason you struggle with your weight is that your hormones are out of balance.

As a licensed Naturopathic Doctor, I am uniquely qualified to understand the private suffering that women experience with weight gain and body shame. Although hormones are complex, when out of balance, they make losing weight close to impossible particularly for women. During my lecture, I’ll share which hormones are to blame, how they affect your weight, and at least one simple action you can take to bring each hormone back into balance.

Please join me on May 18th at 2pm, as I help you understand the ins and outs of your complex body, with natural solutions for weight loss.

RSVP by May 17th

 

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia

by | Oct 29, 2018 | Fatigue, Fibromyalgia

Natural Solutions to Healing Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic (long term) condition characterized by widespread body pain and extreme fatigue. It generally involves excruciating muscle pain, overwhelming fatigue, brain fog, and maybe swelling or tingling in your hands or feet, but your doctor can’t figure out what’s wrong and no matter what you seem to do, the symptoms just won’t go away. Sadly, your primary health care Doctor thinks you’re exaggerating and wants to put a Band-Aid on it. What you’re experiencing may be a condition called Fibromyalgia, a disorder that has long baffled the medical community.

What Are the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia?

Although it can make your muscles and bones hurt, Fibromyalgia is considered by many to be a disease of the nervous system. Your nerves are not working properly so your brain perceives the sensation as muscular or skeletal pain.

You may wonder what the symptoms of Fibromyalgia are since it could mimic a different condition, like arthritis. Typically, the most common symptom of Fibromyalgia is pain that has lasted for more than three months. In addition to pain, other symptoms of Fibromyalgia can include:

  • Fatigue -a feeling of over whelming tiredness, not relieved by sleep.
  • Physical weakness
  • Mental fogginess
  • Sleep issues – some people will suffer from insomnia (problems falling asleep or broken sleep), other people will sleep for a good length of time but due to a lack of restorative sleep (deep, stage 4 sleep) will awake unrefreshed.
  • Mood disorders
  • Swelling or tingling in the extremities
  • Morning stiffness
  • Headaches
  • Pain – usually constant and widespread but may be worse in certain places such as the back and neck. The pain can be sharp, stabbing or dull in nature. Sometimes there are ‘trigger’ points from which pain radiates.

Possible Causes of Fibromyalgia

  • Hormones – Fibromyalgia predominantly affects middle aged women; a population whose hormones have begun to decline or fall such as in perimenopause.
  • Stress – stress weakens the immune system while leading to inflammation in the body. This in return sends signals to the brain that exacerbate the nervous system resulting in further stimulation of the body’s pain signaling pathway.
  • Neurotransmitter Imbalances – symptoms of Fibromyalgia might be caused by a disruption in the communication between peripheral nerves and the brain. Fibromyalgia patients often have lower-than-normal amounts of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine; and frequently suffer from mood disorders like depression and anxiety.
  • Inflammation – Fibromyalgia often occurs simultaneously with other chronic inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, or chronic hepatitis. Researchers have discovered that people with Fibromyalgia have high levels of Substance P in their central nervous system which is associated with inflammation, the body’s stress response, and pain.
  • Mitochondrial Dysfunction – Fibromyalgia symptoms may arise as a result of mitochondrial dysfunction. Since the mitochondria is known as the ‘powerhouse’ of each cell, it acts like a digestive system which takes in nutrients, breaks them down, and creates energy rich molecules (or food) for the cell.

Natural Treatment for Fibromyalgia

As a Naturopathic Doctor, my focus is to treat my patients Holistically, not just the treat their symptoms. The symptoms are merely the body crying out for attention to where it needs help. Here are just a few suggestions that I often use to help treat the root of the cause.

  1. Treating the nerve pain – antioxidants such as alpha lipoic acid acteyl-L-carnitine help relieve the neuropathies often seen in Fibromyalgia.
  2. IV therapy – high dose vitamin IV therapy can replenish the multitude of vitamin deficiencies that Fibromyalgia patients experience.
  3. Curcumin – a powerful herb used for thousands of years to squelch inflammation. The key is to combine it with black pepper for intestinal absorption.

If You Have Fibromyalgia, Avoid Eating

  • Processed Foods: Pre-packaged foods with long shelf lives.
  • Chemicals: Steer clear of foods made with many chemical ingredients.
  • Sugar: Sugar can make inflammation and painful symptoms worse.
  • Caffeine: Caffeine can cause dehydration, worsening headaches, and other pain.
  • Alcohol: Alcoholic beverages are not recommended for people with Fibromyalgia.

It is a misconception to think that people with Fibromyalgia just do not get better. It’s important to not give up. I have helped many of my patients with Fibromyalgia live healthy, happy lives and do the things they enjoy. If you are interested in scheduling an appointment to begin your natural path to healing Fibromyalgia, please contact my office here.