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!

Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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™
I've Been Wanting This

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.

​

Learn More

I’m always standing

by your side

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.

Sign Up Today

Plan a Visit

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.

​

Book An Appointment
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.

 

Natural Solutions to Low Testosterone in Young Men

Natural Solutions to Low Testosterone in Young Men

by | May 31, 2019 | Men's Health, Testosterone

What Young Men Need to Know about Low Testosterone 

While a decline in testosterone is a struggle that older men expect, there is an overwhelming number of younger men that I have helped in my Practice, where low testosterone is now becoming more prevalent. For this reason, I wanted to share the most common reasons I come across why younger men are experiencing this.

Low Testosterone and Chronic Diseases

Abdominal obesity, is often linked with the development of chronic diseases like insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and ultimately diabetes. Where does testosterone come in? Large, population-based longitudinal studies have found that men with low testosterone and low sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) who do not yet have metabolic syndrome or diabetes are significantly more likely to go on to develop insulin resistance or diabetes. . SHBG is the main binding protein for testosterone in the circulation and largely controls the availability of free testosterone to tissuses.It also affects the total amount of circulating testosterone – the more SHBG, the greater the amount of total testosterone being carried around in the circulation, and vice versa. Obesity is known to decrease SHBG levels while aging increases them, but the effect of obesity in driving down SHBG is greater than the effect of aging in raising it, with effects on total testosterone.

What Else Could Influence Total Testosterone Levels?

A number of mechanisms explain low total testosterone levels in men with abdominal fat and/or insulin resistance. Low SHBG associated with excess fatty tissue and insulin resistance drives down total testosteone levels.

Also, an enzyme called aromatase which is resides in excess fat, can use up testosterone as it converts to estradiol. This then further shuts down testosterone production in the Leydig cells in the testes through negative feedback on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal system. And finally, insulin resistance itself can directly inhibits testosterone production in Leydig cells. 

What about men who exhibit low total testosterone before developing “beer gut” or insulin resistance? If they have a sedentary lifestyle or a habitual high refined carbohydrate intake, this can also impact SHBG production directly through the liver, predisposing them to both low testosterone and risk of obesity.

How to Balance Testosterone Levels Naturally in Younger Men?

Address your Stress

Before jumping to conclusions that supplementing with testosterone is the only answer, consider having your adrenals checked. Stress is never a good thing and it can affect every area of your health. Hormones included. It doesn’t matter how clean you eat if you are feeding yourself huge portions of stress every day it won’t do your body, or hormones, any good.

Balance your Female Side

We like to associate estrogen with women and testosterone with men, when in fact, both sexes produce these hormones, just in different amounts. Men make estrogen by converting testosterone in the liver by an enzyme called aromatase. What I often find with my patients that have too much stress or belly fat, they have have higher aromatase levels than in men with healthier testosterone levels. Thankfully there are some great foods and herbs that inhibit high aromatase levels such as:

  • Licorice
  • Turmeric
  • Black or Green Tea
  • Chrysin
  • Red Ginger

Take in Some Rays

Vitamin D is needed by every single cell of your body to function properly. Vitamin D supplements (or shots) are shown to increase testosterone naturally. This is because Vitamin D is one of the main vitamins involved in making hormones in the first place.

In the end, more natural interventions will help to improve your overall health and will help to increase your own testosterone production. For more help improving your endurance and vitality, contact the office to begin.

DHEA the Antiaging Hormone

DHEA the Antiaging Hormone

by | Jul 16, 2018 | Anti-Aging, Hormones, Men's Health, Testosterone, women's health

DHEA the Antiaging Hormone

Everything we do, feel, think – it all starts with the brain. A balanced, healthy brain helps lay the essential foundation for optimal wellbeing. A small but significant aspect of brain health is regulated by a specific class of steroid molecules that refer to cholesterol-derived steroid compounds that play critical roles in the nervous system – its development, maintenance and survival. This is better know as DHEA. As the levels of DHEA and DHEA-S decline with age, the brain loses their protective properties and becomes more sensitive to the ravages of neurological decline.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is plentiful in the human body – together with its sulfated form (DHEA-S), DHEA comprises the most abundant form of steroid hormones. In fact, the average concentration of DHEA-S in the bloodstream is about 10,000 times higher than the most potent estrogen – estradiol. Derived from cholesterol, DHEA is produced by the adrenal glands, brain, ovaries and testes, and is a precursor for the major sex steroids (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone). Sometimes called the “anti-aging hormone” or even the “fountain of youth,” it is no wonder that supplementation with DHEA to its mid-normal physiologically youthful levels appears to engender a sense of wellbeing and reestablish the drive for life.

DHEA antiaging hormones androgens

DHEA-S levels peak around mid-twenties and gradually decrease to around 20% by age 70. Unfortunately, once DHEA levels begin to wind down, there are no feedback mechanisms to help restore it. As DHEA and downstream metabolites decrease, the brain loses the protective effects of sex steroids and becomes increasingly vulnerable to neurotoxic effects of cortisol and other potentially damaging factors. With declining DHEA-S levels, cortisol levels remain constant, resulting in an increased cortisol/DHEA-S ratio. The unbalanced relationship between the too high cortisol and not enough DHEA-S is serious enough that it can create potentially harmful conditions for the hippocampus and contribute to neurodegenerative disease pathology.

This is why I commonly prescribe DHEA (both to female and male patients) presenting with low androgen symptoms in combination with low circulating DHEA-S and/or low testosterone levels. DHEA replacement therapy can certainly impede the ravages of aging – adequate levels help ramp up the levels of downstream sex steroids, enhance the ability to adapt to stress, increase libido, improve the body fat ratio, and boost the immune system. However, it is important to monitor the levels of the sex steroid hormones as well as DHEA-S during supplementation – just like with too little DHEA, too much DHEA (and/or DHEA-S) can have its own set of distressing symptoms.

Low Androgen Symptoms
  • Fatigue
  • Foggy thinking
  • Decreased stamina
  • Decreased muscle size
  • Decreased libido
  • Rapid aging
High Androgen Symptoms
  • Irritability
  • Weight gain (hip and/or breast area)
  • Acne
  • Oily skin
  • Scalp hair loss
  • Growth of facial hair

Treatment Considerations

While DHEA is available over the counter in health food stores, it is best used under medical supervision with the goal of restoring low levels to the physiological range. When administered topically, DHEA restores skin elasticity, relieves symptoms of vaginal dryness and atrophy (with vaginal application), and generally improves many low-androgen symptoms. The caveat with topical DHEA administration is that it does not undergo first-pass metabolism through the liver (no liver passage – no sulfation), so although a subsequent increase in salivary and blood spot DHEA is observed, DHEA-S levels can remain unchanged. With oral DHEA administration we see a substantial spike in DHEA-S levels in all commonly tested body fluids (saliva, blood, or urine) (undergoes first-pass metabolism and gets sulfated), and a marked improvement in symptoms as well.  However, once DHEA becomes sulfated to DHEA-S, it is unable to cross the blood-brain barrier to nourish the brain. How you take DHEA definitely impacts how much gets into the brain and how fast. For example, troche (sublingual) DHEA goes directly into the bloodstream and because it’s not sulfated, it crosses directly into the brain and other tissues.

Know how much of which type is imperative when it comes to treating hormones. If you’re interested in measuring your DHEA levels for maintaining and enhancing your youth, contact the office to schedule your appointment today.

Got Low Testosterone?

Got Low Testosterone?

by | Apr 16, 2018 | Hormones, Men's Health, Testosterone, Vitamin D

Have you Lost your Drive?

In my Practice, I often work together with men in finding solutions to their lack of “drive”. This lack of ambition effects all areas of desire including passion, mood, and motivation in both personal and work related avenues of their lives. The hidden root of the cause for the lack of enthusiasm is most commonly associated with low testosterone.

People with higher testosterone and a healthier hormonal profile take more risks and are more successful in accomplishing what they want in life. The conventional cure for low testosterone involves pharmaceuticals (a gel or pill) that will affect your body’s natural hormone production, so identifying the original cause and solving the case naturally should be your go-to strategy.

low testosterone

If you know for a fact that your testosterone levels are low, identifying these below and working to improve them can help build your testosterone levels naturally:

1. Reduce Excess Body Fat

If you have belly bulge, it’s time to let that go. The fat tissue that comes from inactivity and eating poorly enhances and enzyme that has the power to take your free testosterone (the bioavailable testosterone) and turn it into estrogen. When estrogen is elevated, testosterone plummets so it’s imperative to keep body fat at a healthy level. Essentially, lower body fat means higher testosterone, higher libido, more energy, and more ambition.

2. Consider Fasting (Periodically)

Short-term fasts, have been shown to increase testosterone levels significantly! By short-term I’m referring to about 14 to 16 hours without food. Allowing your body the opportunity to use more of it’s fat stores for energy will help with weight loss.  It’s a simple habit to start implementing; wake up, drink some delicious black or matcha tea, and skip breakfast. Easy as that.

3. Check your Blood

Low testosterone isn’t the only culprit responsible for the lack of momentum in your life. High blood sugar, cortisol, and inflammation are likely suspects as well as Vitamin D and Vitamin B deficiencies. Every six months, make sure to get a some blood work done to assess where the imbalances are coming from. The sooner you know, the more likely you will be able to take preventative measure from (unknowingly) making the situation worse.

For help in balancing your hormones naturally, contact the office to schedule your appointment today.