Uncategorized Archives - Dr. David Brady

Green smoothie with vegetables, fruits and herbs

Detox for Better Health

New year, new you! Now is the time to reset your body so you can face 2023 with optimum vitality. A healthy, sustainable detox not only helps support your body’s natural cleansing process of unwanted toxins, but also helps you unlearn any unhealthy habits you’ve developed over the past year.

You’ve probably seen ads for “detoxes'' and “cleanses” that make huge claims and ultimately require a big commitment in both time and money. These ads often prey on our wish for a simple solution, but the truth is your body is capable of detoxing on its own - it really is a self-sustaining system. Your skin, digestive system, liver, and lungs are continually cleansing your body of unwanted substances.

However, we can support our body’s natural detox processes for optimal health and vitality. This is particularly true for anyone struggling to turn an unhealthy lifestyle around.

Here are some tips to help you detox naturally for the coming year!

Why Detox?

Over the course of everyday life, we’re all exposed to toxins, including environmental pollutants, such as toxic chemicals in cleaning and personal care products, heavy metals in food and water, BPA in food storage containers, pesticides, and more.

Although our bodies are designed to be self-cleansing, many of these substances accumulate in the body, where they can harm your health in many ways.¹

Ways To Detox

Detoxing is a broad term for a few different ways of resetting your body. It’s important to determine the right method for you, and it’s always a good idea to work with a healthcare practitioner to create a realistic and healthy plan.

Here are some popular detox strategies.

concept of intermittent fasting

1 - Fasting

Generally speaking, there are two approaches to fasting. Some people choose an extended fast without any food for a set period - often between 24 to 72 hours. Some of these extended fasts are “water only” fasts, while others allow liquids like lemon juice or beef broth.

Intermittent fasting, which means alternating periods of food intake with periods of fasting, has become more popular in recent years. Intermittent fasting has some flexibility. For example, you could eat normally for 12 hours, and fast for 12 hours, or have an eight hour eating window.

Fasting has been traditionally used as a way to improve health and many recent studies back its benefits, including:

Healthy blood glucose metabolism²
Normal inflammatory responses³
Healthy blood lipid metabolism
Body weight and composition management⁵
Supporting the body’s normal cellular waste removal process⁶

Fasting isn’t for everyone, however. People with low blood sugar or Type 1 diabetes should consult with a healthcare practitioner first. And fasting can also increase your levels of the stress hormone cortisol,⁸ so if you’re already stressed or busy, approach fasting with caution. Anyone with a history of disordered eating should also talk with a healthcare provider before beginning a fast.

Healthy concept with green antioxidant organic vegetables, fruits and herbs and bottle of fresh smoothie

2 - Dietary cleanse

A dietary cleanse typically involves eliminating certain food groups, such as inflammatory or processed foods like sugar, white flour, and unhealthy fats.

The exact dietary changes will depend on your current health and goals, and are often best determined in tandem with a healthcare provider. Some common cleansing strategies include food sensitivity detoxes, in which you eliminate foods that are known to cause sensitivities and reintroduce them keeping careful records of symptoms.

Some general tips for a successful dietary detox include:

Up your water intake. Water will help eliminate waste products from your body.⁹
Focus on antioxidant-rich foods. Antioxidants prevent oxidative stress, which leads to cell damage. Foods rich in antioxidants include berries, leafy green vegetables, dark chocolate and green tea.
Eat foods high in sulfur. Sulfur-rich foods like cruciferous vegetables, legumes, beef, and turkey can help transport heavy metals like cadmium from your body.¹⁰
Cut down on salt. Salt makes your cells retain water, which slows down urination, one of the processes through which your body eliminates toxins.

Woman exercising in large exercise studio

3 - Sweat it out

Although we tend to overestimate the ability of a good sweat to “flush out” the effects of unhealthy choices, some studies have found that sweat does contain waste products.¹¹ More research needed on the effectiveness of activities like taking a sauna, but many people enjoy the endorphin release.

Exercising has many benefits that can support your body during a detox as well, including its ability to help manage inflammation and support immune health.¹² However, it’s important not to overly tax your body during this time, so consult with a healthcare practitioner for the right program for you.

Health supplements

4 - Supplement for support

Help your body do its job by choosing supplements wisely. Particularly while you’re detoxing, it’s important to work with a practitioner to choose the best supplements for your specific needs. Supplementation can also depend on what kind of detox you are doing, since some supplements and multivitamins work best when taken with foods, for example. The aim of supplementation is to support your body’s natural detoxing abilities.* Some commonly used supplements for detox support include:

Activated charcoal. Some toxins may bind to activated charcoal in the lower intestine, so they can be eliminated with a bowel movement.*¹³
By encouraging a healthy balance of bacteria in your gut, probiotics help ensure your digestive system performs its natural detoxification function.*¹⁴
This spice contains a compound called curcumin that helps support your body’s antioxidant pathways.*¹⁵
Green tea. One study found that chemicals in green tea called green tea catechins may help support detoxification.*
This is another species of algae that may help support your body’s detoxification of certain compounds.*

Start your year off on the right foot with safe, sustainable detox support. Our detox program provides step-by-step instructions, dietary guidelines, shopping lists, twice daily detox shakes, and other supportive supplements all in one convenient box! (See details below)

PaleoCleanse Plus 14-Day Detox Program: (Collagen protein-based) – (Strawberry-Vanilla)

PurePea 14-Day Detox Program: (Pea/vegetable protein-based) – (Vanilla)

PurePea 14-Day Detox Program: (Pea/vegetable protein-based) – (Unflavored)

Sources:

1. Genuis SJ. Elimination of persistent toxicants from the human body. Hum Exp Toxicol. 2011 Jan;30(1):3-18. doi: 10.1177/0960327110368417. Epub 2010 Apr 16. PMID: 20400489.

2. Barnosky AR, Hoddy KK, Unterman TG, Varady KA. Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction for type 2 diabetes prevention: a review of human findings. Transl Res. 2014 Oct;164(4):302-11. doi: 10.1016/j.trsl.2014.05.013. Epub 2014 Jun 12. PMID: 24993615.

3. Faris MA, Kacimi S, Al-Kurd RA, Fararjeh MA, Bustanji YK, Mohammad MK, Salem ML. Intermittent fasting during Ramadan attenuates proinflammatory cytokines and immune cells in healthy subjects. Nutr Res. 2012 Dec;32(12):947-55. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2012.06.021. Epub 2012 Oct 4. PMID: 23244540.

4. Bhutani S, Klempel MC, Berger RA, Varady KA. Improvements in coronary heart disease risk indicators by alternate-day fasting involve adipose tissue modulations. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2010 Nov;18(11):2152-9. doi: 10.1038/oby.2010.54. Epub 2010 Mar 18. PMID: 20300080.

5. Laurens C, Grundler F, Damiot A, Chery I, Le Maho AL, Zahariev A, Le Maho Y, Bergouignan A, Gauquelin-Koch G, Simon C, Blanc S, Wilhelmi de Toledo F. Is muscle and protein loss relevant in long-term fasting in healthy men? A prospective trial on physiological adaptations. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2021 Dec;12(6):1690-1703. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.12766. Epub 2021 Oct 20. PMID: 34668663; PMCID: PMC8718030.

6. Bagherniya M, Butler AE, Barreto GE, Sahebkar A. The effect of fasting or calorie restriction on autophagy induction: A review of the literature. Ageing Res Rev. 2018 Nov;47:183-197. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2018.08.004. Epub 2018 Aug 30. PMID: 30172870.

7. Goodrick CL, Ingram DK, Reynolds MA, Freeman JR, Cider NL. Differential effects of intermittent feeding and voluntary exercise on body weight and lifespan in adult rats. J Gerontol. 1983 Jan;38(1):36-45. doi: 10.1093/geronj/38.1.36. PMID: 6848584

8. Mazurak N, Günther A, Grau FS, Muth ER, Pustovoyt M, Bischoff SC, Zipfel S, Enck P. Effects of a 48-h fast on heart rate variability and cortisol levels in healthy female subjects. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2013 Apr;67(4):401-6. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2013.32. Epub 2013 Feb 13. PMID: 23403876.

9. Popkin BM, D'Anci KE, Rosenberg IH. Water, hydration, and health. Nutr Rev. 2010 Aug;68(8):439-58. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x. PMID: 20646222; PMCID: PMC2908954.

10. Hodges RE, Minich DM. Modulation of Metabolic Detoxification Pathways Using Foods and Food-Derived Components: A Scientific Review with Clinical Application. J Nutr Metab. 2015;2015:760689. doi: 10.1155/2015/760689. Epub 2015 Jun 16. PMID: 26167297; PMCID: PMC4488002.

11. Baker LB. Physiology of sweat gland function: The roles of sweating and sweat composition in human health. Temperature (Austin). 2019 Jul 17;6(3):211-259. doi: 10.1080/23328940.2019.1632145. PMID: 31608304; PMCID: PMC6773238.

12. Scheffer DDL, Latini A. Exercise-induced immune system response: Anti-inflammatory status on peripheral and central organs. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2020 Oct 1;1866(10):165823. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.165823. Epub 2020 Apr 29. PMID: 32360589; PMCID: PMC7188661.

13. Skov K, Graudal NA, Jürgens G. The effect of activated charcoal on drug exposure following intravenous administration: A meta-analysis. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2021 Apr;128(4):568-578. doi: 10.1111/bcpt.13553. Epub 2021 Jan 21. PMID: 33386684.

14. Wang ZB, Xin SS, Ding LN, Ding WY, Hou YL, Liu CQ, Zhang XD. The Potential Role of Probiotics in Controlling Overweight/Obesity and Associated Metabolic Parameters in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019 Apr 15;2019:3862971. doi: 10.1155/2019/3862971. PMID: 31118956; PMCID: PMC6500612.

15. Sharifi-Rad J, Rayess YE, Rizk AA, Sadaka C, Zgheib R, Zam W, Sestito S, Rapposelli S, Neffe-Skocińska K, Zielińska D, Salehi B, Setzer WN, Dosoky NS, Taheri Y, El Beyrouthy M, Martorell M, Ostrander EA, Suleria HAR, Cho WC, Maroyi A, Martins N. Turmeric and Its Major Compound Curcumin on Health: Bioactive Effects and Safety Profiles for Food, Pharmaceutical, Biotechnological and Medicinal Applications. Front Pharmacol. 2020 Sep 15;11:01021. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2020.01021. PMID: 33041781; PMCID: PMC7522354.

16. Naeini F, Zarezadeh M, Mohiti S, Tutunchi H, Ebrahimi Mamaghani M, Ostadrahimi A. Spirulina supplementation as an adjuvant therapy in enhancement of antioxidant capacity: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials. Int J Clin Pract. 2021 Oct;75(10):e14618. doi: 10.1111/ijcp.14618. Epub 2021 Aug 4. PMID: 34235823.

by Dr. David Brady

4 Steps to Better Digestion

Most of the time, we take our digestive system for granted. But when it goes out of whack it’s a whole different story and digestive issues can quickly become all-encompassing. Stomach pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea, frequent bowel movements, constipation, even night sweats and unexplained weight loss or gain are just some of the signs of poor digestive health that people regularly live with. We may start to believe these conditions are “normal for us”.

The Prevalence of Digestive Issues

A 2013 study revealed that 74% of all participants had experienced digestive discomfort for six months or more, yet only 37% sought help from their doctor. Additionally, 56% of those who experienced discomfort didn’t seek medical help because they didn’t believe their symptoms required medical attention.

Ignoring the Signs

Ignoring digestive issues is a dangerous approach to take. Sometimes digestive distress is symptomatic of a deeper medical issue that requires medical attention. It is important to talk to your doctor if you experience ongoing or severe digestive symptoms to understand what is really going on and ensure it’s nothing serious.

What if it’s Nothing Serious?

The good news is that if a diagnosed digestive disease is not the reason for your symptoms, it’s often possible to get your digestion back on track by making a few targeted diet and lifestyle tweaks.

Good Digestion: It All Starts with Chewing Your Food

When your digestive system is acting up, the first step should always be to go back to the basics. Simple but effective, chewing your food properly supports the digestive process and makes nutrient absorption easier for your body. That is because chewing starts the digestive process. Mechanically, it breaks food into smaller pieces to increase its surface area so that your digestive enzymes can get to work more effectively. Chemically, chewing also triggers the production of saliva which contains the first enzyme in a cascade of different enzymes, each triggering the next to achieve complete digestion and absorption of nutrients from your food.

Eating too quickly, while distracted or on the go are often reasons we don’t chew our food well enough. It is more important than many of us realize to set aside ample time to enjoy your meals. If this is new for you, try scheduling meal times like any other priority to help fortify the habit in the beginning.

Digestive Health Tests Can Uncover Imbalances

Optimizing digestive health is an area where Integrative, Functional and Naturopathic medicine excel. We can run laboratory tests to see what is really going on, even if your regular checkup did not give you a diagnosis of digestive disease. We have a full toolbox of strategies to evaluate your digestion and uncover issues that may be at the root of your symptoms, including:

Stool testing to check your unique microbiome of bacteria and yeasts
Testing for markers of inflammation
Checking pancreatic enzyme levels
Checking for food intolerances and immune markers, as well as celiac antibodies
Testing for nutritional deficiencies, diabetes indicators, liver function, stress hormones and more.

4 Steps to Supporting Good Digestion

1 - Eat a Digestion-Focused Diet

What you eat matters. Nutrient dense, fiber-rich foods filled with enzymes help your meals move through your digestive system. We are spoiled for choice, and have a variety of vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds and fruit available to us year round.

More Fiber

High Fiiber foods absorb water and other fluids to form a gel-like substance that feeds the good bacteria in your digestive system and soothes the gut wall. This helps provide bulk, which eases the passing of waste through your system.

Fewer Irritants

Reducing sugar and caffeine also aids in the digestive process by reducing irritation that is often caused by gas and unfriendly bacteria - the bacteria that causes gas and cramping feeds off sugar and multiplies. Stevia is a good alternative to sugar and consider Rooibos tea to give you a bit of energy midday rather than that extra cup of coffee, as caffeine can be irritating to the digestive tract.

Probiotic Foods

Eating probiotic rich, fermented foods like unsweetened probiotic yogurt, kimchi, kefir, miso, and sauerkraut helps as well. Probiotics battle bad bacteria in your digestive system and lower the ph levels in the colon which supports your gut lining and aids in absorbing nutrients.

Healthy Fats

Lastly, fats encourage gallbladder function and thus support the absorption of minerals from your food. Healthy options including avocados, nuts, seeds and their oils as well as fatty fish are all great ways to support your digestive cascade while nourishing your body the right way.

2 - Drink Plenty of Water

Dehydration and constipation go hand in hand. Water is needed to produce digestive enzymes, it helps move nutrients from your food into your cells, it supports your fiber intake by keeping soluble fiber hydrated and puffy so it can do its job of “sweeping” the digestive tract, and it is a crucial part of muscle movement - remember that your gut is a long tube made up of muscles that need to contract in a co-ordinated wave-like motion.

3 - Reduce Stress at Mealtimes

In “fight or flight” mode the body redirects water from your digestive system to serve the immediate survival need, so high stress over time causes constipation and a host of digestive symptoms. Keeping stress low is particularly important during mealtimes as the body needs to be in a state of calm for digestion to occur at all.

Slow down and make a conscious effort to sit down at a table to eat your meal. Turn off any screens, take slow, deep breaths and pay attention to the pleasure of good food, and if you’re lucky, good company. This will help put your body into “rest and digest'' mode and enable the body to do what it needs to do next in the digestive cascade.

4 - Make Sure to Move

Digestive health pioneer Dr. Bernard Jensen famously said “After your meal, sit a while, then walk a mile.” Research has shown us that exercise can indeed improve the rate at which you digest food. Gravity and movement stimulate peristalsis by helping to trigger various “fullness” receptors in your colon, which triggers healthy peristalsis to push your digested food through the digestive tract at a regular pace. Exercise is also a great stress reducer, which may explain how hearty your appetite for a healthy meal can be post workout.

Helping out your Digestion with Supplements

Digestive Enzymes

For many of us these days, eating well, chewing well and relaxing are not quite enough to bring balance back. If meals still have you feeling overly full, your enzymes may need some support. Your healthcare practitioner can help you to find the right enzyme supplement for your symptoms. Alternatively, digestive enzymes can be found in papaya and pineapple and their mild support may be enough.

Probiotics

The good bacteria in your digestive tract supports gut health by breaking down specific carbohydrates, soothing the gut wall and producing hormones such as serotonin, the “feel-good hormone”. Maintaining that microbiome is essential for avoiding digestive problems like gas, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea - and for mental health.

A good quality probiotic supplement can help replenish and balance your gut bacteria, and research suggests they can help support a healthy gut and digestion even with existing digestive problems. Make sure to get a recommendation from your healthcare practitioner as not all probiotic supplements are created equal.

We are Here to Help

Don’t let poor digestion cramp your style! If you’re experiencing digestive distress, book an appointment with me through Whole Body Medicine, and together we’ll get your digestion back on track, including possibly ordering a GI-MAP test to personalize our approach to your ongoing gut issues. We’re here to help.

Call or email us at: 203-371-8258 (Ext. 2), or info@wholebodymed.com

References

AbbVie, (Nov. 6, 2013.)New Survey Reveals More than Half of Americans are Living with Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Not Seeking Care from a Doctor.

Anderson JW, Baird P, Davis RH Jr, Ferreri S, Knudtson M, Koraym A, Waters V, Williams CL. Health benefits of dietary fiber. Nutr Rev. 2009 Apr;67(4):188-205. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00189.x. PMID: 19335713.

Boekema PJ, Samsom M, van Berge Henegouwen GP, Smout AJ. Coffee and gastrointestinal function: facts and fiction. A review. Scand J Gastroenterol Suppl. 1999;230:35-9. doi: 10.1080/003655299750025525. PMID: 10499460.

Everhart JE, editor. The burden of digestive diseases in the United States. US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 2008; NIH Publication No. 09-6443.

Iorgulescu G. Saliva between normal and pathological. Important factors in determining systemic and oral health. J Med Life. 2009 Jul-Sep;2(3):303-7. PMID: 20112475; PMCID: PMC5052503.

McFarland LV. Use of probiotics to correct dysbiosis of normal microbiota following disease or disruptive events: a systematic review. BMJ Open. 2014 Aug 25;4(8):e005047. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005047. PMID: 25157183; PMCID: PMC4156804.

Oettlé GJ. Effect of moderate exercise on bowel habit. Gut. 1991 Aug;32(8):941-4. doi: 10.1136/gut.32.8.941. PMID: 1885077; PMCID: PMC1378967.

Patricia JJ, Dhamoon AS. Physiology, Digestion. [Updated 2021 Sep 18]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544242/

Schloetter, M., Mietus-Synder, M. et al. Metabolic and physiologic improvements from consuming a paleolithic, hunter-gatherer type diet. Dr. Bernard Jensen. Dr. Jensen's Guide to Better Bowel Care: A Complete Program for Tissue Cleansing through Bowel Management. Avery; 1190th ed. edition (Sept. 1 1998)

by Dr. David Brady

You Can Take Control of Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is a common and complex problem affecting 20–30% of the population of Western countries. The pharmaceutical industry has garnered billions of dollars in painkiller and anti-inflammatory sales, yet this hasn’t come without potential health risks to consumers from a well-documented crisis level of opioid addiction to frequent gastrointestinal complications and an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. We witness these side effects with an understanding that pharmaceuticals may provide partial, and not always full relief from chronic pain.

It’s no wonder we’re hearing from a lot of patients who are looking for a more natural approach to managing their chronic pain.

What is Chronic Pain?

We all feel physical pain from time to time. Injury, inactivity, sickness and disease can cause many different types of aches and pain. When this occurs, our bodies work hard to heal so that we can return to our normal lives. But what happens if the pain doesn’t go away, or doesn’t fully go away, or even worse… begins to hurt more? This is when pain becomes chronic. Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts more than three months.

What Does Chronic Pain Feel Like?

Chronic pain comes in many forms. It can be dull, sharp, heavy, tingling, throbbing, burning, squeezing, shooting, achy, or sore. I can be a mix of any of these forms, or be only one. It can come and go or be consistent over the course of a day or many days, but it is always recurring. It can also be dull, or acute, or a mix of both and anywhere in between. It can happen during the day or night, or both.

The Emotional and Social Cost of Ongoing Pain

Chronic pain takes its toll on your lifestyle, your relationships and your mental health. It can create brain fog during the day and sleep disturbances and/or sleepless nights. Chronic pain sufferers also regularly report feelings of fatigue, sadness, nervousness, overwhelm, irritability, frustration and anger. There are high incidences of anxiety and depression among chronic pain sufferers.

Additionally, long-term depression increases the probability of a person reporting high levels of chronic pain. All of this combined can create a terrible cycle of inactivity and suffering.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet Graphic

Natural Options for Chronic Pain Are Available

In addition to the conventional approach, there are a number of natural modalities that can work alongside medication and potentially lessen the need for pharmaceutical support. Here are some of our favourites.

Movement

Regular, gentle physical movement, particularly activities involving the mind-body connection or meditative movement therapies (MMT) help minimize chronic pain. These activities strengthen the body and help develop mindfulness, leading to stress reduction, at the same time. Pilates, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Yoga are fantastic examples of mind-body therapies.

Flexibility training, core training, balance training, and light strength training are other forms of movement that help manage chronic pain by lubricating the joints, improving your overall stability and increasing your range of motion.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been used in traditional Eastern medicine for thousands of years. It involves inserting small needles into the skin at specific acupoints, typically leaving them in place for up to 30 minutes while you rest. The body reacts to the process by releasing endorphins into your bloodstream. These endorphins act as natural painkillers and also affect the part of the brain that governs serotonin, one of the brain chemicals that positively affect mood.

An Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Keeping inflammation under control is critical when it comes to managing chronic pain. Adopting an anti-inflammatory diet can help reduce your diet’s impact on inflammation and is something you can start today. The main tenets of a diet designed to lessen inflammation include:

Eliminate sugar

Too much added sugar is one of the primary contributors to chronic, low-grade inflammation.

Eat Your Greens

Eat a diet rich in an assortment of vegetables. Choose a variety of colours and vegetable types to ensure you are getting a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and antioxidants. Cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage and broccoli are particularly rich in phytonutrients that help lower inflammation.

Limit Nightshades

Some people benefit from limiting or completely removing vegetables in the nightshade family. These include tomatoes, bell peppers, white potatoes, and eggplant.

Check for Food Sensitivities

Knowing whether your body is reacting to certain foods known to commonly trigger sensitivities, such as wheat and dairy, can help you choose your ingredients appropriately and lessen any inflammatory reactions.

Eat Whole Foods

A whole food diet means avoiding processed or refined foods, instead opting for foods in their original form, chock full of vitamins, minerals and fiber. This includes whole grains like oats, quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat, and spelt, as well as fresh vegetables, whole, unprocessed proteins and beans.

Choose Cooking Oils Wisely

Refined oils such as soybean, cottonseed and canola oils are highly unsaturated and oxidize easily when they come into contact with heat in the refinement process, leading to harmful trans fats. Less refined oils with a higher smoke point make healthier options that your body will know what to do with. Extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil have a smoke point of around 400F, making them good choices for healthy cooking.

Eat Less Red Meat

When it comes to reducing pain and inflammation, red meat is under scrutiny not so much for the saturated fat it contains, but rather because red meat is high in arachidonic acid. This essential fatty acid is pro-inflammatory and plays a role in promoting pain messaging in the body. If you already have symptoms of inflammation and chronic pain, reducing how much red meat you eat can help tone down those pain-promoting chemical messages.

Eat More Fish and Nuts

Oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel contain anti-inflammatory essential fatty acids, as do seeds such as hemp, flax and pumpkin seeds, and nuts such as walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts. These fats help your body to build healthy cells and hormones, and reduce inflammation throughout the body.

Drink plenty of filtered water

Adequate water intake helps flush inflammatory toxins and irritants out of your cells. Water helps your body to eliminate waste effectively, lubricates your joints and muscles, and is the vehicle many nutrients need to be properly absorbed into your body. Water is an absolute must if you are working to reduce inflammation and pain.

Chronic Pain graphic

Supplements & Herbs to Consider

Several supplements and herbs have been researched for their role in helping reduce pain and inflammation in the body. Our favourites include the following:

Supplements

Oils rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids, including fish oil and flax oil
Oils rich in linolenic acid, including borage seed oil, evening primrose oil, and blackcurrant seed oil
Vitamin D
Chondroitin sulphate
Glucosamine
S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe)
Pycnogenol
Resveratrol
Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Herbs

Turmeric/Curcumin
Ginger
Spirulina
Cat’s Claw
Devil’s Claw
White willow bark
Green tea
Boswellia
Triphala

Everyone’s journey with chronic pain is unique. The modalities that may work wonders for one person, may not work as well for another for a variety of reasons. The best results can be achieved with a tailored, holistic treatment plan that is adapted to the individual and managed through the different stages of healing and/or pain management.

Resources

Achilefu, A., Joshi, K., Meier, M., & McCarthy, L. H. (2017). Yoga and other meditative movement therapies to reduce chronic pain. The Journal of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, 110(1), 14–16.

Berman B. M. (2003). Integrative approaches to pain management: how to get the best of both worlds. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 326(7402), 1320–1321. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.326.7402.1320-a

Crofford L. J. (2015). Chronic Pain: Where the Body Meets the Brain. Transactions of the American Clinical and Climatological Association, 126, 167–183.

Dansie, E. J., & Turk, D. C. (2013). Assessment of patients with chronic pain. British journal of anaesthesia, 111(1), 19–25. https://doi.org/10.1093/bja/aet124

de Heer, E. W., Gerrits, M. M., Beekman, A. T., Dekker, J., van Marwijk, H. W., de Waal, M. W., Spinhoven, P., Penninx, B. W., & van der Feltz-Cornelis, C. M. (2014). The association of depression and anxiety with pain: a study from NESDA. PloS one, 9(10), e106907. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0106907

InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Using medication: Painkillers: How common are severe side effects of NSAIDs? 2016 Apr 6 [Updated 2017 Aug 10].

Maroon, J. C., Bost, J. W., & Maroon, A. (2010). Natural anti-inflammatory agents for pain relief. Surgical neurology international, 1, 80. https://doi.org/10.4103/2152-7806.73804

Şahin, N., Karahan, A. Y., & Albayrak, İ. (2017). Effectiveness of physical therapy and exercise on pain and functional status in patients with chronic low back pain: a randomized-controlled trial. Turkish journal of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 64(1), 52–58.

Vickers AJ, Cronin AM, Maschino AC, et al. Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(19):1444–1453. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2012.3654

by Dr. David Brady

Happy Hormones, Happy Mind.

Fluctuating moods are normal. Feeling lethargic after a long day, the ever-growing pressures of keeping up with work, family, relationships, health, irritability close to menstruation, and prolonged sadness after a personal loss or trauma are all natural (although perhaps less desirable) shifts in mood. There are thousands of reasons our moods can fluctuate, but what happens when you can’t figure out why you’re feeling down? What happens when your lethargy feels chronic, your irritability continuous and your moods shift from one to the next as though they have a life of their own?

Then it’s time to look a little deeper into the possible root causes. Hormonal imbalance in all genders, a condition that comes up often in clinical practice, counts malaise and mood swings as common symptoms. Such imbalances often go undetected in conventional medical care, yet feature high on our list of suspects in functional care.

In this article, we’ll discuss some effective actions you can take to help balance your hormones and get your life back on track.

Common Reasons Hormones Fall Out of Balance

Maintaining the delicate balance of hormones is key to optimal health and longevity, and even a slight imbalance can cause undesirable side effects. Modern life is rife with hormone disruptors that can contribute to hormonal imbalances that in turn often lead to mood fluctuations. Here are some of the most common factors that can affect hormonal balance:

Stress: The hormone cortisol is released into our system when we experience stress. If that stress continues over the long term without significant times of rest it can exacerbate health issues, particularly anxiety and depression, and cause an imbalance in hormone production in the body.

Nutrition: Nutrient deficiencies due to digestive issues or a diet that is high in processed foods and/or low in nutrients can disrupt the body’s ability to build hormones and maintain balance.

Weight Gain: Stubborn weight gain is one of the more common signs of a hormonal imbalance, potentially being eventually attributed to thyroid imbalance, PCOS or perimenopause. However, excess weight in itself can contribute to an imbalance as visceral fat reduces the body’s sensitivity to insulin and may also contribute to high estrogen levels.

Menopause & Perimenopause: A decrease in estrogen levels as women get older can disrupt testosterone and progesterone levels, affecting the entire body. Hot flashes, sleepless nights, mood swings and anxiety are some of the most common symptoms of a hormonal imbalance experienced during menopause.

Pharmaceuticals: It is well known that steroids and opioids have the potential to disrupt hormones, causing such symptoms as testicle shrinkage in men and male pattern baldness in women. The birth control pill, HRT and fertility meds are also candidates, as synthetic hormones have been known to bind to the wrong receptors, bringing on an imbalance.

Manage Stress to Help Balance Your Hormones & Your Mood

Managing your stress levels is one of the most important things you can do to support your mood as well as your hormonal balance and break the cycle. The following key factors have been shown to make a difference in our ability to be more emotionally balanced and to adapt better to the stressors in our lives:

Sleep Hygiene

Just like the health of your teeth is dependent on good oral hygiene, the quality of your sleep is dependent on good sleep hygiene. Sleep hygiene, at its core, is the sum of behavioural and environmental factors that promote regular, good sleep where you wake up feeling refreshed every morning. Here are our suggestions for sleep hygiene:

Create a nightly routine and stick to it
Go to bed at the same time every night
Keep your bedroom quiet, dark and cool
No screen time for at least one hour before bed
Go to sleep on an empty stomach
Don’t consume caffeine after 12:00 pm

Adopt an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

An anti-inflammatory diet that is nutrient dense, low in sugar, and high in probiotic foods can go far to help manage your stress levels. The links between stress, anxiety, inflammation and the microbiome of your gut are well known. The following suggestions can help keep inflammation and your gut microbiome balanced:

Eat a diet rich in vegetables, especially dark, leafy greens and low starch carbohydrates like sweet potatoes.
Enjoy fermented foods such as Kombucha, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, and yogurt.
Reduce consumption of food containing refined sugars and enjoy foods sweetened with maple syrup, honey, blackstrap molasses, monk fruit, or stevia.
Avoid processed foods.
Increase your fibre intake, with a focus on whole grains and legumes
Regularly eat fish or supplement your diet with an omega 3 essential fatty acid supplement.

Exercise

Regular physical activity helps reduce stress. It stimulates your feel-good endorphins and helps you sleep better at night. It is generally recommended to do 30 minutes of daily, moderate exercise to keep your stress levels in check. This can include anything from a walk in your neighbourhood, to yoga, to playing soccer. What’s most important is that you keep moving and, ideally, you do something that brings joy.

Setting Boundaries

Determining and enforcing clear and consistent boundaries in both our personal and professional lives is particularly important during times of high stress. Setting boundaries around your physical space, your feelings, needs, and responsibilities helps to maintain emotionally safe personal and professional lives, and plan how to respond when your boundaries are encroached upon or broken. Boundaries act as a stress buffer, keeping us from falling into negative-rumination, mood swings, and patterns of abuse.

Mindfulness & Self-Compassion

A regular practice of mindfulness helps build an inner strength that makes us more resilient to stress. A regular practice of self-compassion helps us to not suffer when we don’t meet our own expectations of managing stress. Try journaling about what went well and what was positive at the end of each day. Together, mindfulness and self-compassion are powerful tools that can drastically increase our resilience, reduce our stress levels, and balance our moods.

Get a Hormone Check-Up

If lifestyle changes are proving difficult or are not making the difference you had hoped, working with a natural health practitioner is a good next step towards rebalancing your hormones and your mood. Your functional doctor can perform a number of tests to check your levels of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol and your thyroid to determine if there is any kind of imbalance. Your practitioner can then guide you through a tailored lifestyle, nutrition and supplement support plan based on your specific results.

References

Ali SA, Begum T, Reza F. Hormonal Influences on Cognitive Function. Malays J Med Sci. 2018;25(4):31-41. doi:10.21315/mjms2018.25.4.3

Childs E, de Wit H. Regular exercise is associated with emotional resilience to acute stress in healthy adults. Front Physiol. 2014;5:161. Published 2014 May 1. doi:10.3389/fphys.2014.00161

Firth J, Gangwisch JE, Borisini A, Wootton RE, Mayer EA. Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing? [published correction appears in BMJ. 2020 Nov 9;371:m4269]. BMJ. 2020;369:m2382. Published 2020 Jun 29. doi:10.1136/bmj.m2382

Hiller-Sturmhöfel S, Bartke A. The endocrine system: an overview. Alcohol Health Res World. 1998;22(3):153-164.

Moyer AM, Matey ET, Miller VM. Individualized medicine: Sex, hormones, genetics, and adverse drug reactions. Pharmacol Res Perspect. 2019;7(6):e00541. Published 2019 Dec 6. doi:10.1002/prp2.541

Ndefo UA, Eaton A, Green MR. Polycystic ovary syndrome: a review of treatment options with a focus on pharmacological approaches. P T. 2013;38(6):336-355.

Ranabir S, Reetu K. Stress and hormones. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2011;15(1):18-22. doi:10.4103/2230-8210.77573

Ray JA, Kushnir MM, Meikle AW, Sindt JE, Strathmann FG. An exploratory study Evaluating the impact of opioid and non-opioid pain medications on serum/plasma free testosterone and free estradiol concentrations. Drug Test Anal. 2017 Oct;9(10):1555-1560. doi: 10.1002/dta.2174. Epub 2017 Mar 31. PMID: 28182836.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau. (2020, June 25). Control over work-life boundaries creates crucial buffer to manage after-hours work stress. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 7, 2021 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200625122734.htm

Yazdi Z, Loukzadeh Z, Moghaddam P, Jalilolghadr S. Sleep Hygiene Practices and Their Relation to Sleep Quality in Medical Students of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences. J Caring Sci. 2016;5(2):153-160. Published 2016 Jun 1. doi:10.15171/jcs.2016.016

by Dr. David Brady

Top Tips for Healthy Aging

We have more aging adults alive today than at any other time in history. This is no small feat. With advances in medicine, better access to resources, and improvement in our general quality of life, living well into our 80s and beyond is a realistic expectation to hold.

That being said, there is a general understanding that getting older means developing health complications. Osteoporosis, arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, cognitive decline, hearing loss and decreased stamina are often associated with aging. The question that remains is, is this physical decline inevitable? The answer is not necessarily. When it comes to healthy aging, lifestyle plays a role and although we may not be able to change genetics or random chance, a preventive lifestyle can make a big difference.

1 - Lower Your Stress

High levels of stress over prolonged periods of time is dangerous at any age, but can be more difficult to recover from as we get older. When we experience stress, the hormone cortisol is released into our system. For instances of short-term stress, this is a good thing, cortisol acts as an internal alarm system and is crucial for keeping us safe. Once the stressful situation has passed, our cortisol level should drop in accordance with our heart rate.

How Stress Makes You Feel Older

Long-term stress often keeps our internal alarm system activated. This wreaks havoc on the body affecting our sleep and recovery time, our energy levels, our mental and emotional acuity. Prolonged stress can lead to:

weight gain
insomnia
migraines
short-term memory problems
brain fog
digestive problems
inflammation
high blood pressure
high cholesterol
heart disease

Over time, stress can become naturalized in our body. We get used to it. We know we’re stressed out but we lose track of the degree, and how long we’ve been experiencing it. Dealing with the consequences of long-term stress just becomes normal.

Lifestyle Changes That Help

The preventative measures listed below can help minimize your cortisol levels and regain your health:

an anti-inflammatory diet
acupuncture
time in nature / being outdoors
regular moderate exercise
nutrient balancing and supplement support for your adrenals
weighted blanket

2 - Manage Your Insulin

Insulin may not be something you discuss with your family doctor if you don’t have a diabetes diagnosis, but research tells us that maintaining stable insulin levels is a key to longevity. Meanwhile, insulin resistance due to chronically high insulin has been shown to predict and accelerate the development of age-related diseases including hypertension, coronary heart disease, dementia, stroke, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

Ditch Refined Carbohydrates

When we eat a steady diet of refined carbohydrates and quickly absorbed sugars, our cells slowly become more insulin resistant, requiring more insulin to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. The higher our insulin levels stay, the more resistant our cells become, eventually leading to what is often called metabolic syndrome: A collection of symptoms including fatigue, excess fat around the midsection, increased blood pressure, elevated fasting blood sugar and increased inflammation throughout the body.

Insulin Testing

Insulin levels go up long before they develop into issues such as hypoglycemia and prediabetes, and early detection can help change the course of what happens next. Often, we are unaware that our insulin levels have increased and are nearing dangerous levels. Lab testing to determine your levels is important in understanding where you stand now as well as having a measurement to assess your progress.

Lifestyle Changes

The actions needed to prevent and reduce insulin resistance in the early stages are fairly simple: reduce your consumption of refined carbohydrates, eat protein at every meal, and stay active. An Integrative/functional/naturopathic practitioner can help you keep track of your insulin levels and recommend the right supplements for your specific needs.

3 – Keep Your Hormones Balanced

Hormones are messengers that affect everything in our bodies, from our growth and development to reproduction, tissue repair, metabolism, immunity, and inflammation. Keeping our hormones functioning optimally is imperative to staying healthy. As we age however, our hormone secretion becomes less efficient, which leads to imbalances and changes in the effectiveness of our internal systems.

Hormones and Aging

This imbalance can lead to a wide variety of health issues such as:

unexpected weight gain or loss
dry skin and hair
weak nails
fatigue
muscle weakness, aches, tenderness, and/or stiffness
joint pain, stiffness and/or swelling
anxiety
depression
Brain fog, memory and more!

Hormone Testing

If you are concerned about your hormone levels, your doctor/we/I can run tests to check your levels of testosterone, progesterone, estrogen, cortisol and thyroid hormones and determine your current hormonal status as well as a plan to get your hormones balanced.

A Hormone-Friendly Lifestyle

Balancing your hormones through diet and lifestyle habits can make a big difference in your overall health and the aging process. Our suggestions include:

Eat nutrient dense foods and healthy fats
Plenty of sleep every night
Stress reduction
Regular moderate exercise
Supplementation to help support your overall health
If needed, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) may help with symptoms.

4 - Keep Inflammation at Bay

Inflammation is the body’s way of protecting itself. Physical injuries trigger the release of proteins, antibodies and increased blood flow to the area to repair the damage.

What many people are not aware of is that long-term exposure to irritants and toxins, food sensitivities, autoimmune disorders and even stress can cause an inflammatory response too. When this response continues for more than a few days, it’s considered chronic.

How Chronic Inflammation Ages You

Chronic inflammation is a major component of accelerated aging and a risk factor for developing atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, strokes, heart attacks, fibromyalgia, arthritis, sinus infections, autoimmune conditions and cancer.

Testing for Inflammation

Your doctor can run a number of tests to check for inflammatory signals in your blood including the ESR blood test (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) or a CRP blood test (C-reactive protein). Food sensitivity testing can sometimes help get to the root of the problem.

Living an Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle

Preventive measures for chronic systemic inflammation include:

Adopting an anti-inflammatory diet
Reducing stress levels
Regular exercise
Ensuring your vitamin D levels are good
Including anti-inflammatory superfoods into your diet: omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil), linolenic acid (flax and hemp seed oils), green tea, turmeric, ginger, spirulina.

5 - Keep Moving

And finally, regular physical activity is crucial to aging well. As we get older we start to lose bone density and muscle mass which impacts not only our physical strength, but more importantly our stability, bone strength and immune system. Keeping active and flexible throughout all stages of life allows us to stay healthy and remain independent in our later years.

Choose Activities that Suit You

Regular activity doesn’t have to mean team sports (although there is no harm in that.) Find a form of exercise that suits your lifestyle and level of fitness, and stick to it: Taking a walk, a Yoga or Pilates practice, swimming or cycling are all great lifelong habits. Make sure to include an element of weight resistance which helps strengthen your bones and joints as well as improving heart health.

Getting Your Body Some Help

Physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths are all professionals who can help you understand your current physical condition. They can assess your flexibility, strength, and range of motion and develop a tailored plan to help you strengthen any weaknesses and correct imbalances. Knowing and addressing physical imbalances now can help to prevent chronic pain and injury as you get older.

Although aging isn’t a choice, aging well is. There is a lot you can do to optimise your version of the aging process by identifying problem areas and adopting a preventive lifestyle. It’s never too late to make a difference.

Working with a functional practitioner is a great place to start. Together we can run labs to identify and target your specific imbalances and begin your path to better long term health.

References:

Akintola AA, van Heemst D. Insulin, aging, and the brain: mechanisms and implications. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2015;6:13. Published 2015 Feb 6. doi:10.3389/fendo.2015.00013

Chung HY, Kim DH, Lee EK, et al. Redefining Chronic Inflammation in Aging and Age-Related Diseases: Proposal of the Senoinflammation Concept. Aging Dis. 2019;10(2):367-382. Published 2019 Apr 1. doi:10.14336/AD.2018.0324

Ferrucci L, Fabbri E. Inflammageing: chronic inflammation in ageing, cardiovascular disease, and frailty. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2018;15(9):505-522. doi:10.1038/s41569-018-0064-2

Graham JE, Christian LM, Kiecolt-Glaser JK. Stress, age, and immune function: toward a lifespan approach. J Behav Med. 2006;29(4):389-400. doi:10.1007/s10865-006-9057-4

Hiller-Sturmhöfel S, Bartke A. The endocrine system: an overview. Alcohol Health Res World. 1998;22(3):153-164.

Lakhan SE, Vieira KF. Nutritional and herbal supplements for anxiety and anxiety-related disorders: systematic review. Nutr J. 2010;9:42. Published 2010 Oct 7. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-9-42

McMurdo ME. A healthy old age: realistic or futile goal?. BMJ. 2000;321(7269):1149-1151. doi:10.1136/bmj.321.7269.1149

Ranabir S, Reetu K. Stress and hormones. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2011;15(1):18-22. doi:10.4103/2230-8210.77573

Schwarz NA, Rigby BR, La Bounty P, Shelmadine B, Bowden RG. A review of weight control strategies and their effects on the regulation of hormonal balance. J Nutr Metab. 2011;2011:237932. doi:10.1155/2011/237932

Swarup S, Goyal A, Grigorova Y, et al. Metabolic Syndrome. [Updated 2020 Nov 1]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459248/

Thau L, Gandhi J, Sharma S. Physiology, Cortisol. [Updated 2021 Feb 9]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan.

Yaribeygi H, Panahi Y, Sahraei H, Johnston TP, Sahebkar A. The impact of stress on body function: A review. EXCLI J. 2017;16:1057-1072. Published 2017 Jul 21. doi:10.17179/excli2017-480

by Dr. David Brady

Digestive Issues? Here’s What You Can Do to Tame Them

“After your meal, sit a while, then walk a mile.” - Dr. Bernard Jensen

Good digestion. When it’s all working smoothly, we tend to take it for granted, but when things get out of balance it can quickly become all we think about. Heartburn, bloating, nausea, diarrhea - we may make jokes about them, but these symptoms of poor digestion can make us feel downright miserable, not to mention antisocial.

Digestive disorders have risen dramatically in recent years, likely because our fast-paced lifestyles contain many elements that contribute to problems, such as high stress levels, too much time spent sitting, not enough movement and definitely not enough quality sleep. If you experience pain in your digestive system, it is of course important to see your family doctor so that they can help you rule out any medical issues. The good news is that if a medical issue is not the reason, it’s often possible to get your digestion back on track by implementing a handful of simple, lifelong habits.

Let’s look at some ways you can figure out that funny tummy, reclaim your social life and feel confident that what you eat is truly nourishing your body.

8 Proven Habits to Support Your Digestion Every Day:

Eat a Whole Food Diet

A “whole food” diet means opting for the most natural, least-processed version whenever possible, no matter what form your diet takes (balanced, low carb, vegetarian, etc). A whole baked apple instead of apple pie, for example, a handful of nuts over a protein bar, or whole grain over refined white flour. This is the best way to make sure your food contains all of its essential nutrients and enzymes so that it is nourishing and easier to digest. Not to mention that the additives and excess sugar found in many processed foods can feed the bad bacteria in your gut, contributing to gut irritation, bloating and cramps.

Drink Plenty of Water

One of the most common culprits for constipation is dehydration. Water serves 4 main functions in digestion. First, it is necessary for your body to produce the various digestive enzymes and juices that help break down your food. Next, it is the vehicle nutrients ride in so that your body can absorb them easily. It also helps to keep things well-lubricated so that the fiber you eat turns into a soothing, puffy gel and your digested food moves easily through your intestines. And finally, water is a fundamental ingredient in muscle movement - and your gut is essentially a long tube made up of muscles that need to contract in a specialized wave-like motion called “peristalsis”. Well hydrated muscles are able to contract as needed to push the digested food through the gut and out of the body so that it doesn’t sit around for too long and start to cause irritation.

Unfortunately digestion isn’t always the body’s top priority. Survival takes precedence, so if your body senses that you need more water elsewhere in the body such as your brain or legs (fight & flight), it will redirect water from your gut to serve the immediate survival need, making your stools harder to pass.

Choose High Fiber Foods

As healthy fiber from whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds, fruits and (most importantly) vegetables passes through your body, it absorbs water and other fluids to form a gel-like substance that feeds the good bacteria and soothes the gut wall. It helps provide bulk to stools, which helps them move along the digestive tract more easily, contributing to regularity and that sometimes elusive feeling of complete elimination.

However, it is important to remember that if you currently eat a low-fiber diet, you must be careful not to ramp up your intake too quickly, as that can lead to gas, discomfort and, ironically, constipation. Make sure you increase your fiber intake slowly over a few days or weeks - especially if you are adding an extra fiber supplement such as freshly ground flax seeds - while also drinking more water as the fiber itself can absorb a lot.

Eat Consciously

As mentioned above, stress has a way of messing with digestion. So keeping stress low is particularly important during mealtimes. You can achieve this by simply slowing down, avoiding eating on the go, and making a conscious effort to sit down at a table to eat your meal.

Turn off the TV, take slow, deep breaths and pay attention to the pleasure of good food. Use your senses throughout the meal - taste, smell, textures - food should be enjoyed after all. Savour every bite instead of absent-mindedly snacking while thinking of something else and you’ll improve digestion by putting your body into “rest and digest'' mode and giving it all the right signals to trigger the necessary digestive enzymes. Not to mention, conscious eating helps to reduce the chance of overeating to the point of feeling too full.

Chew Your Food Properly

What’s the rush? When you chew your food, you’re starting the digestive process. The mechanical action of your teeth breaks food into smaller pieces to increase its surface area, so that digestive enzymes can get to work. Chewing also triggers the production of saliva, the first enzyme in a cascade of different enzymes, each triggering the next to achieve complete digestion and absorption of nutrients from your food.

Aim to chew your food 20 - 30 times before you swallow for best results. That’s right, just like Grandma told you.

Support Your Digestive Enzymes

If chewing your food doesn’t go far enough towards easing an overly-full feeling after meals, try supporting your digestive enzymes more directly. This can simply mean taking a shot of apple cider vinegar before meals to provide enough acid to trigger stomach digestion. Alternatively, chewable digestive enzymes made from papaya and pineapple actively break down protein in your food, and more comprehensive and targeted digestive enzyme supplements are available too.

Feed Your Good Bacteria

Your digestive tract contains trillions of good bacteria that support gut health by breaking down specific carbohydrates, soothing the gut wall and producing hormones such as serotonin, the “feel-good hormone”. Maintaining that microbiome is essential for avoiding digestive problems like gas, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea - and for mental health.

Make sure to eat a wide variety of healthy whole foods to help sustain them, and fermented foods to help replenish them. These include unsweetened probiotic yogurt, kimchi, kefir, miso, and sauerkraut.

Probiotic supplements can help replenish and balance your gut bacteria if food alone isn’t enough at first. Research suggests they’re an effective supplement to reduce the symptoms of existing digestive problems.

Move Your Body

This brings us back to the quote from digestive health pioneer Dr. Bernard Jensen: “After your meal, sit a while, then walk a mile.” The reason for this suggestion is simple: When you move, your digestive system moves. Scientists have found that exercise can improve the rate at which you digest food. Gravity and movement stimulate peristalsis by helping to trigger various “fullness” receptors in your colon. This results in more muscle movements pushing your digested food through the digestive tract at a regular pace.

By the way, exercise also reduces stress, boosts energy, improves mood and supports good heart health.

Digestive symptoms like bloating, diarrhea and indigestion shouldn’t be holding you back from enjoying life. If you’d like to talk about further strategies, lab tests to check the status of your microbiome, or you simply want help creating a plan to implement these tips, contact us today.

References:

Dr. Bernard Jensen. Dr. Jensen's Guide to Better Bowel Care: A Complete Program for Tissue Cleansing through Bowel Management. Avery; 1190th ed. edition (Sept. 1 1998)

Oettlé GJ. Effect of moderate exercise on bowel habit. Gut. 1991 Aug;32(8):941-4. doi: 10.1136/gut.32.8.941. PMID: 1885077; PMCID: PMC1378967.

by Dr. David Brady

Lifestyle Factors to Reduce Pain and Inflammation

It’s no wonder we’re hearing from a lot of patients who are looking for a more natural approach to managing their chronic pain.

What is Chronic Pain?

What Does Chronic Pain Feel Like?

The Emotional and Social Cost of Ongoing Pain

Additionally, long-term depression increases the probability of a person reporting high levels of chronic pain. All of this combined can create a terrible cycle of inactivity and suffering.

Natural Options for Chronic Pain Are Available

Movement

Acupuncture

An Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Eliminate sugar: Too much added sugar is one of the primary contributors to chronic, low-grade inflammation.
Eat Your Greens: Eat a diet rich in an assortment of vegetables. Choose a variety of colours and vegetable types to ensure you are getting a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and antioxidants. Cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage and broccoli are particularly rich in phytonutrients that help lower inflammation.
Limit Nightshades: Some people benefit from limiting or completely removing vegetables in the nightshade family. These include tomatoes, bell peppers, white potatoes, and eggplant.
Check for Food Sensitivities: Knowing whether your body is reacting to certain foods known to commonly trigger sensitivities, such as wheat and dairy, can help you choose your ingredients appropriately and lessen any inflammatory reactions.
Eat Whole Foods: A whole food diet means avoiding processed or refined foods, instead opting for foods in their original form, chock full of vitamins, minerals and fiber. This includes whole grains like oats, quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat, and spelt, as well as fresh vegetables, whole, unprocessed proteins and beans.
Choose Cooking Oils Wisely: Refined oils such as soybean, cottonseed and canola oils are highly unsaturated and oxidize easily when they come into contact with heat in the refinement process, leading to harmful trans fats. Less refined oils with a higher smoke point make healthier options that your body will know what to do with. Extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil have a smoke point of around 400F, making them good choices for healthy cooking.
Eat Less Red Meat: When it comes to reducing pain and inflammation, red meat is under scrutiny not so much for the saturated fat it contains, but rather because red meat is high in arachidonic acid. This essential fatty acid is pro-inflammatory and plays a role in promoting pain messaging in the body. If you already have symptoms of inflammation and chronic pain, reducing how much red meat you eat can help tone down those pain-promoting chemical messages.
Eat More Fish and Nuts: Oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel contain anti-inflammatory essential fatty acids, as do seeds such as hemp, flax and pumpkin seeds, and nuts such as walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts. These fats help your body to build healthy cells and hormones, and reduce inflammation throughout the body.
Drink plenty of filtered water: Adequate water intake helps flush inflammatory toxins and irritants out of your cells. Water helps your body to eliminate waste effectively, lubricates your joints and muscles, and is the vehicle many nutrients need to be properly absorbed into your body. Water is an absolute must if you are working to reduce inflammation and pain.
Supplements & Herbs to Consider: Several supplements and herbs have been researched for their role in helping reduce pain and inflammation in the body. Our favourites include the following:

Supplements	Herbs
Oils rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids, including fish oil and flax oil	Turmeric/Curcumin
Oils rich in linolenic acid, including borage seed oil, evening primrose oil, and blackcurrant seed oil	Ginger
Vitamin D	Spirulina
Chondroitin sulphate	Cat’s Claw
Glucosamine	Devil’s Claw
S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe)	White willow bark
Pycnogenol	Green tea
Resveratrol	Boswellia
Alpha-Lipoic Acid	Triphala

Resources

Berman B. M. (2003). Integrative approaches to pain management: how to get the best of both worlds. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 326(7402), 1320–1321. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.326.7402.1320-a

Crofford L. J. (2015). Chronic Pain: Where the Body Meets the Brain. Transactions of the American Clinical and Climatological Association, 126, 167–183.

Dansie, E. J., & Turk, D. C. (2013). Assessment of patients with chronic pain. British journal of anaesthesia, 111(1), 19–25. https://doi.org/10.1093/bja/aet124

Maroon, J. C., Bost, J. W., & Maroon, A. (2010). Natural anti-inflammatory agents for pain relief. Surgical neurology international, 1, 80. https://doi.org/10.4103/2152-7806.73804

Vickers AJ, Cronin AM, Maschino AC, et al. Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(19):1444–1453. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2012.3654

by Dr. David Brady

Step Into the Fall Season with Collagen

By Dr. David M. Brady and Danielle Moyer, MS, CNS

The fall season - what’s not to love? Warm drinks, pumpkin patches, and holidays with loved ones. Oh, and dry skin and achy joints.

There may be a way to enjoy all the good parts of fall without the bad parts. Studies show that supplementing with collagen peptides may help.

Up to 30% of the protein in our body is naturally produced collagen [1]. The word collagen is derived from the Greek word “kolla”, which means glue. Collagen can be interpreted as the “glue” that holds our body together and constitutes, along with the bones, most of the body’s structural support [2].

Unfortunately, our bodies start to lose collagen around 18 to 29 years of age. At the age of 40, the body can lose around 1% of its total collagen per year. At age 80, collagen production can be 75% lower compared to young adults. Collagen loss is a byproduct of natural aging, but can be accelerated by free radicals from unhealthy diets, sunlight, environmental pollution, smoking, alcoholism, and disease [3-4].

Studies have shown that supplementing with bioactive collagen peptides can reverse this age-dependent collagen loss and can be incredibly beneficial for the body [4]. Collagen helps to strengthen our bone, tendons, and cartilage, and can improve the health and appearance of our hair, skin, and nails.

Benefits of high-quality collagen peptides [1]:

Increase bone density, mass, and quality
Reduce osteoarthritis symptoms (pain and stiffness)
Reduce risk of fractures
Improve skin elasticity, thickness, and hydration
Improve nail health and reduce brittleness
Reduce wrinkle formation
Reduce cellulite appearance
Improve joint, cartilage, tendons, and ligament health
Reduce post exercise joint pain in young athletes and improve ankle stability
Improve blood pressure
Improve muscle strength and gastrointestinal tract health
Improve hair quantity and quality

It is possible to get collagen from whole-food, protein sources. However, many individuals, especially the elderly, do not consume enough adequate protein. Even those who do consume adequate protein do not digest it optimally and often do not eat those foods with the highest concentrations of collagen – animal skins, bone broth, and tendons [1].

Research suggests that supplementing between 2.5 to 15 grams of collagen peptides per day can lead to the health benefits listed above [5]. Those who need higher amounts in that range include athletes, aging individuals, those recovering from injury, and menopausal women not on hormone-replacement therapy [1].

In powder form, collagen peptides are convenient and easy to incorporate into a diet. It can be sprinkled into smoothies, shakes, coffee, tea, lemonade, yogurts, dips, salad dressings, soups, sauces, mashed potatoes/cauliflower, casseroles, and desserts [1].

It is no surprise that collagen peptide powders are becoming more popular. With the glut of products on the market, it is essential to choose high quality, well-researched collagen peptide blends. Specific brands, like Whole Body Collagen by Designs for Health, contains a research-proven specific molecular weight collagen peptide formula produced to optimize their beneficial properties [1].

It is important to note that collagen peptide supplements must be complemented by other supportive bone nutrients in the diet and/or supplementation to support healthy bones: Calcium, magnesium, silicon, and vitamin D, K1 and K2 [1].

So, this fall season, let’s do something different.

Let us lower our need to apply skin care products for dry skin and over-the-counter remedies to relieve our body aches. Instead, let us improve and maintain proper collagen levels in our body to directly support our body’s bones, joints, skin, hair, and nails at the source. Consider stepping into fall with some collagen peptides this year.

References:

Paul C, Berger A. Whole Body Collagen. Designs for Health Website. Published August 2018.
Deshmukh SN, Dive AM, Moharil R, Munde P. Enigmatic insight into collagen. J Oral Maxillofac Pathol. 2016;20(2):276-283. doi:10.4103/0973-029X.185932
León-López A, Morales-Peñaloza A, Martínez-Juárez VM, Vargas-Torres A, Zeugolis DI, Aguirre-Álvarez G. Hydrolyzed Collagen—Sources and Applications. Molecules. 2019;24(22):4031. doi:10.3390/molecules24224031
Bolke L, Schlippe G, Gerß J, Voss W. A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity, Roughness, and Density: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Blind Study. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2494. doi:10.3390/nu11102494
Paul C, Leser S, Oesser S. Significant Amounts of Functional Collagen Peptides Can Be Incorporated in the Diet While Maintaining Indispensable Amino Acid Balance. Nutrients. 2019;11(5):1079. doi:10.3390/nu11051079

by Dr. David Brady

What is Vitamin K and Why is it Important?

By Dr. David M. Brady and Danielle Moyer, MS, CNS

Vitamin A = Eyes.

Calcium = Bones.

What about vitamin K?

Vitamin K doesn’t get as much press as other vitamins, but that does not mean it is less important.

The “K” in vitamin K originates from the Danish word “koagulation”, which translates to “coagulation”. One of the main roles of vitamin K is assisting in blood coagulation. Meaning, if you are bleeding from a cut, vitamin K is a main player in helping the blood clot (or stop) naturally! Through time, we have learned that vitamin K’s importance goes well beyond just blood clotting.

Roles & functions of vitamin K

Help with blood clotting
Lowers inflammation in the body, helping with any inflammatory/autoimmune disease
Gene expression (Properly expressing you genetic code)
Supports optimal bone health, increasing collagen and calcium content of bones
Supports teeth/oral health
Supports cardiovascular health
Anticancer effects
Reduces risk of kidney stones
Prevention or reversal of osteoporosis, which may reduce bone fracture risk
For men, increased testosterone

Research has found that vitamin K, vitamin D, and vitamin A all work in concert together. For vitamin K to fully display all of its potential benefits, vitamin D and vitamin A must be optimized as well [1].

Effects of low vitamin K levels and/or deficiency:

Easy bruising and bleeding (nosebleeds, bleeding gums, blood in urine/stool, heavy menstrual bleeding) [2]
Improper bone mineralization
Reduced health of joint cartilage, tendons, ligaments
Suboptimal skin health, elasticity, and overall appearance
Impaired insulin secretion and increased insulin resistance
Increased risk of kidney stone formation
Suboptimal energy production
Inadequate antioxidant protection in the brain
Increased severity of cystic fibrosis
Reduced testosterone production [1]

Supplementation with high doses of standard vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol), ranging from 800-1200 IU, has been shown to impair and interfere with vitamin K’s blood clotting ability, whereas excess vitamin A supplementation can interfere with vitamin K absorption [1-2]. Both should be avoided unless specifically advised by your doctor and/or nutritionist.

Vitamin K has many forms

Vitamin K has different forms that can be grouped into three classifications: vitamin K1, vitamin K2, and vitamin K3. We will focus on vitamin K1 and K2, as they are the forms found in supplements and produce the benefits listed above.

Vitamin K1, or phylloquinone:

Vitamin K1 is the most common form of vitamin K in the diet and occurs naturally in certain vegetables, vegetable oils, seeds, and algae [1].

Foods with high vitamin K1 content:

Kale
Swiss chard
Parsley
Broccoli
Spinach
Watercress
Leaf lettuce (green)
Soybean oil
Canola oil
Olive oil
Cottonseed oil [2]

The best way to absorb vitamin K1 through the vegetables above is to eat them cooked, blended, or juiced (as opposed to raw), as well as eating them with a source of dietary fat.

Elements that destroy vitamin K in food are exposure to light and hydrogenation (as in hydrogenated oils). Hydrogenated oils are created during industrial cooking, frying, or baking, and will be listed “partially hydrogenated” or “hydrogenated” on the ingredients list of processed foods.

A large portion of the population get their main sources of vitamin K1 from vegetable oils rather than vegetables. When the oils are hydrogenated from fast foods or processed foods, this can lead to low levels of vitamin K in the individual [1].

Vitamin K2, or menaquinones:

Vitamin K2 represents 90% of the total vitamin K stored in our body because a large portion of vitamin K1 gets converted into vitamin K2 for storage.

Vitamin K2 has 14 different forms. They are labeled MK-1 through MK-14. “MK” stands for menaquinone. The most discussed and researched forms are vitamin MK-4 and vitamin MK-7 [1].

Vitamin K2 is technically not a “vitamin” because our bodies can actually produce it themselves. Synthesis can occur through the bacteria in our intestines in a healthy gut environment. It is important to note that if a person uses an antibiotic, this can kill over 70% of the beneficial gut bacteria that normally produces vitamin K2 and extra supplementation may be necessary [4].

Since other animals and fermentation processes can synthesize vitamin K2, we can also find it in foods like:

Grass fed-meat and liver, fish, and egg yolk
Yogurt, cheese, sour cream, buttermilk
Sauerkraut, kimchi, and natto

Certain individuals who have difficulty converting vitamin K1 into vitamin K2 because of age-related changes, certain diseases, genetics, or chronic antibiotic use may particularly benefit from supplementation of vitamin K2. The diseases of concern include osteopenia, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and arterial calcification [1].

One will often find both MK-4 and MK-7 in supplements, in addition to vitamin K1. Vitamin MK-7 displays some, but not all of the beneficial effects of MK-4, and has not been proven to be more effective than vitamin K1 or vitamin MK-4. There is also a unique element called geranylgeraniol (GG) which can facilitate more natural production of vitamin K in the body. Some supplements now contain K1 and K2-MK-4 along with GG to ensure that they all work together to promote optimal delivery of vitamin K2 (as MK-4) to tissues supporting normal blood clotting, bone mineralization, and arterial elasticity. [3]. This is good news, as MK-7 is 10 times more expensive than MK-4 per milligram basis [1]. Expensive does not always mean better, and when the hard science is looked at regarding vitamin K metabolism it may be that the marketing on some vitamin K2 sub-types is more hype than reality!

brady vitamin k

The best approach to optimize vitamin K

Overt vitamin K deficiencies are rare in the United States, but lower than optimal levels are more common [4].

The adequate intake (AI) of vitamin K1 is 90 mcg for women and 120 mcg for men. It has been found that 60-70% of the US does not meet this standard, which some argue is already below what may be necessary for optimal health.

The best recommendation for any age or gender is to get as much vitamin K1 from eating an abundance of leafy greens (or their juices) or healthy oils (such as olive oil) every day.

Humans are adapted to intake up to 1,000 mcg of vitamin K1 daily with no adverse effects [1]. Since it seems improbable that all individuals will achieve this goal via their diet, supplementation of vitamin K1 and/or K2 may be warranted for a large portion of the population.

Vitamin K may be particularly crucial for adolescents going through peak bone development and those of reproductive age. It is also important for older individuals, especially women in peri- and established menopause and men with lower than optimal testosterone levels. Lastly, it is also crucial for those on chronic antibiotic therapy as well as those with severe gastrointestinal malabsorptive disorders (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, chronic pancreatitis) [1,4].

Anticoagulant drugs, such as warfarin or Coumarin, directly interfere with vitamin K utilization in the body, and large doses of vitamin K may undermine the medication. It is advised for a patient on these drugs to not avoid vitamin K intake, but rather, keep their vitamin K levels consistent at the dietary intake of 90 to 120 mcg/day, avoiding any large fluctuations. Vitamin K intake from food and supplements should be closely monitored with a doctor if you are undergoing anticoagulant therapy [2].

Labs to get your vitamin K levels assessed

If you are curious about your vitamin K levels, there are two scientifically validated functional markers: Uncarboxylated osteocalcin and uncarboxylated Matrix GLA protein [3]. One can also look at whole blood clotting and prothrombin time [4]. Plasma or blood levels are not valid indicators of vitamin K status [3]. Talk to your doctor to see which test may be appropriate and best for you.

The takeaway

Some argue that vitamin K will soon become the “new vitamin D”, where it becomes a household topic and everyone wants to optimize their levels. Many researchers performing reviews on vitamin K call for more research to further clarify its roles in clinical applications [1]. In the meantime, the least we can do is eat our green leafy vegetables! We have vitamin K to thank for that advice. However, a more proactive approach involves the use of a well designed and balances vitamin K supplement, such as Tri-K. Discussing vitamin K supplementation with you functional medicine physician and clinical nutritionist is also suggested.

References:

Paul CI. Vitamin K. In: Pizzorno, JE, Murray MT, ed. Textbook of Natural Medicine. 5th ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2021: 919-947.
Gropper SS, Smith JL, Carr TP. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism. 7th ed. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning; 2018: 408-415.
Brady DM, Paul C. Tri-KTM: Three Pathways to Vitamin K. Designs for Health. Published April 2021.
Hidgon, J. Vitamin K. Linus Pauling Institute: Micronutrient Information Center website. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-K. Published 2000. Reviewed August 2014. Accessed July 29, 2021.

by Dr. David Brady

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)

By Dr. David M. Brady and Danielle Moyer, MS

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is a condition with newfound fame. MCAS first emerged in the 1980s, but has gained recognition and started to appear in the medical literature at a growing rate in the last decade [1]. It falls under the umbrella of mast cell activation diseases (along with systemic mastocytosis and mast cell leukemia) [2]. Such a new condition currently brings up more questions than answers, and more research is needed on diagnostic criteria, valid disease biomarkers, and treatment methods.

As a result, patients are searching for answers themselves about their chronic symptoms and suspected self-diagnosed MCAS. This has caused a rise of patient self-help groups on social media and lay literature surrounding MCAS. The size and discussion of these social media groups are “outpacing the science, which has led to controversy with regards to diagnostic criteria and treatment” [3]. Issues arise when individuals of these groups determine MCAS to be the cause of their complex systems, when they may be due to other conditions or diseases with similar symptomatology. Therefore, they may not be receiving or seeking the appropriate care and it is important to know the differences.

What is Mast Cell Activation syndrome?

To explain MCAS, we have to begin by answering: “what are mast cells?” Mast cells are involved in our body’s natural inflammatory response, protecting our body from injury, infection, bacteria, and allergic reactions. MCAS occurs when these mast cells are overproduced and/or when their activation is higher than what is necessary for the body [4]. The altered mast cell production causes complex, multisystem symptoms involving the gastrointestinal, skin, respiratory, neurologic, and cardiovascular system [3]. It may even cause certain individuals to go into anaphylactic shock for no apparent reason (a condition called idiopathic anaphylaxis) [4].

According to research, here are some of the classic symptoms of MCAS [3-6]:

Gastrointestinal
- Abdominal pain and cramping
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal bloating
- Gastroesophageal acid reflux
Skin
- Flushing
- Hives
- Itching
Respiratory
- Throat tightening sensation
- Stuffy nose and sinus irritation
- Difficulty breathing and wheezing
Neurological
- Headache
- Brain fog
Cardiovascular
- Feeling faint (without actually fainting)
- Heart palpitations
- Low blood pressure (hypotension)

These symptoms are worsened by predictable triggers, like certain foods, strong scents, temperature changes, stress, alcohol, or certain medications. Patients suffering from MCAS may need assistance in identifying their triggers and education on proper avoidance [3].

How do you get diagnosed with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome?

There are three criteria used when diagnosing a patient with MCAS in order to avoid misdiagnosis, as well as overgeneralization of clinical symptoms that a patient may exhibit [7].

The first criterion is display of the previously listed symptoms involving two or more organ systems at the same time. The symptoms must be recurring and/or chronic, independent of other conditions or disorders, and must require treatment or therapy [2,7].

The second criterion is the elevation of certain blood markers called serum tryptase or mast cell-derived metabolites while actively suffering from MCAS symptoms. Diagnostic markers in the blood vary, as increased MCAS symptoms may last for varied times (from hours to days to weeks). Patients who do not meet the laboratory criteria for MCAS may be considered to have “suspected MCAS”. These patients will receive trials of different therapies, but with ongoing testing for other conditions [2,7].

The third criterion relates to how MCAS is treated. If a patient responds positively to drugs that inhibit mast cell mediators or block mast cell release, this can fulfil the third co-criterion of a MCAS diagnosis [2,7].

How is Mast Cell Activation Syndrome treated?

There is no cure for MCAS, so an individual’s treatment plan is tailored to target their specific symptoms. As stated above, effective treatment for MCAS is considered to be a criterion for the diagnosis of MCAS [2,7]. If the patient's symptoms are decreased in frequency, severity, or goes away with the avoidance of known triggers, or with medications including H1 and H2 histamine receptor antagonists (blockers), anti-leukotrienes, or mast cell stabilizers, this can further support the diagnosis of MCAS [3].

What other conditions or diseases can Mast Cell Activation Syndrome be confused with?

MCAS is an incredibly complicated disorder that results in both common and unusual symptoms across many different body systems. That being said, it is easy to confuse symptoms caused by MCAS with those from other conditions or diseases, including:

Systemic mastocytosis
- Systemic mastocytosis falls under the same umbrella as MCAS - “mast cell activation diseases.” Systemic mastocytosis results from genetic mutations and leads to an abnormal accumulation of mast cells in one or more organ systems, including the bone marrow, skin, and gastrointestinal tract. MCAS differs from systemic mastocytosis, although they do have similar presentations and symptoms [3].
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Patients with IBS have been shown to have increased mast cell activation in their intestines compared to healthy subjects. The difference between IBS and MCAS is that IBS symptoms are congregated and isolated in the gastrointestinal tract, whereas MCAS symptoms are in more than one organ system [3].
Histamine Intolerance
- Histamine Intolerance is an imbalance of histamine (an amino acid compound in the body involved in local immune responses and inflammation) in the body and a reduced ability to process them. Symptoms of histamine intolerance mirror those of MCAS including headache, hypotension, facial flushing, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, congestion, and asthma. However, these symptoms only occur when eating histamine-rich foods in contrast to MCAS symptoms which can have various triggers [3]. Symptoms of histamine intolerance may also be reduced, or eliminated, by taking the histamine degrading enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO) with meals.
Those with prominent gastrointestinal symptoms with suspected MCAS may also consider ruling out other inflammatory conditions like [3]:
- Celiac disease
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE)
- GI tract malignancies, or anatomic defects
- Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
- Intestinal dysbiosis (an imbalance in gut microbes)
- Bile salt diarrhea, especially in those who have had abdominal surgeries, especially gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy).
There are several chronic symptom disorders that may be confused with MCAS [3]:
- Chronic pain syndromes
- Chronic fatigue syndromes (CFS)
- Fibromyalgia (FMS/FM)
- Multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome (MCS)
- Chronic syndromes from infections or other exposures, such as chronic Lyme disease syndrome and/or other tick borne co-infections.
- Various auto-immune diseases
- Endocrinopathies
- Psychiatric conditions

Recent evidence suggests that there is a common familial occurrence of systemic mast cell activation diseases, meaning there may be a genetic component. If a family member has one of these diseases, your risk may be increased as well [8].

The Takeaway

Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is an incredibly complex condition. Some research theorizes that the incidence and prevalence of MCAS may increase in relation to the increase of other allergic or hypersensitivity conditions [3]. However, more research is needed for improved recognition, diagnosis, treatment, and patient counseling of MCAS beyond the current social media “experts” and patient blogs. Although many patients out there have a large assortment of chronic, multisystem symptoms for seemingly unknown reasons, it is incredibly important to distinguish MCAS versus other diseases or conditions for proper treatment as more research is discovered.

References:

Afrin LB, Ackerley MB, Bluestein LS, et al. Diagnosis of mast cell activation syndrome: a global “consensus-2.” Diagnosis. 2021;8(2):137-152. doi:10.1515/dx-2020-0005
Frieri M. Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. Clinic Rev Allerg Immunol. 2018;54(3):353-365. doi:10.1007/s12016-015-8487-6
Hamilton MJ, Scarlata K. Mast Cell Activation Syndrome – What it Is and Isn’t. PRACTICAL GASTROENTEROLOGY. Published online 2020:7.
Akin C. Mast cell activation syndromes. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2017;140(2):349-355. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2017.06.007
Valent P. Mast cell activation syndromes: definition and classification. Allergy. 2013;68(4):417-424. doi:10.1111/all.12126
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology website. https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-treatments/related-conditions/mcas. Accessed July 2, 2021.
Overview & Diagnosis. The Mast Cell Disease Society, Inc. website. https://tmsforacure.org/overview/. Accessed July 2, 2021.
Molderings GJ, Haenisch B, Bogdanow M, Fimmers R, Nöthen MM. Familial Occurrence of Systemic Mast Cell Activation Disease. PLOS ONE. 2013;8(9):e76241. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0076241

by Dr. David Brady