Blog Posts - Functional Medicine Studio

Why Should You Care About Vitamin D?

4/25/2016

Vitamin D: Part 1
Did you know that more than 50% of the population is deficient in Vitamin D? And, if you are a senior citizen the rate jumps to as high as 95%!!
Even though it is called a "vitamin", vitamin D is actually a steroid hormone precursor. It is primarily delivered to your body from the sun, not the foods you eat. With the increase in use of sunscreen and less time spent outdoors the amount of people deficient in this important "vitamin" is on the rise.
Very few foods, even those "fortified with vitamin D", have levels high enough to support the bodies requirement. There are some signs you may be deficient, but it is best to have a inexpensive blood test run to find your exact level. I had mine checked and was shocked that I was extremely deficient. It happens to the best of us!!

Signs you could be deficient in Vitamin D include:
1)You feel down. Depression is linked to low vitamin D levels.
2)You are over age 50. As we age our skin does not make as much vitamin D in response to the sun exposure. Your kidneys also are less able to convert the vitamin D to the usable form.
3)You have darker skin. Dark skin acts as a natural sunscreen. African Americans may need up to 10times more sun exposure to produce the same amount of vitamin D as a pale person.
4)You are overweight or obese. Vitamin D is a fat soluble substance. This means your fat cells will just collect it, it will not be usable by the body. This means you will need a higher intake of vitamin D than a slim person.
5)Your bones ache. Many people will be misdiagnosed with chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia when really they are deficient in Vitamin D.
6)You have gut problems. If you have GI problems like leaky gut, crohn's disease, celiac and non-celiac gluten sensitivity you will not be absorbing fats properly and therefore not absorbing your Vitamin D.

Get your blood work tested. I am happy to order this simple test for you. Just call me at 314-459-0935 or email me at cainchiro@gmail.com

Why Exercise Is Not Enough(I know, I wish it was)

4/23/2016

For many years we have been told the key to losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight is to eat less and exercise more. We have all heard that right? And does it work? NO!! So what happens? People get fed up, and what do they do.....they quit exercising! Instead of looking at their diet and saying maybe something is off with this aspect of my lifestyle. They quit exercising and keep eating the same way they always did. The result is they gain more weight. They become more miserable.

Many of you have heard "Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym" I am sorry but, this is true! What you fuel your body with will determine how much success you have with the time spent exercising.

Big Food Companies want you to believe that living on processed foods is good for you. Yet, our country has an obesity epidemic that only continues to get worse. Lifestyle related diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, elevated cholesterol levels all are on the rise. Obviously, someone is "feeding" us lies.

Where you get your calories from matters. Calories from sugars increase fat storage and make a person hungrier, whereas calories from fat keep a person full longer. Essentially, telling people to run off their extra weight doesn’t do any good if the diet is full of processed foods.(sugars!)

Eating a diet full of nutrient rich foods like healthy fats, lean protein, organically grown vegetables and fruits will fuel your body so that all the effort you put into exercise will be worth something. Avoid packaged foods with chemicals and sugars that harm your body, limit grains and carbohydrates which break down to sugar in your body and work against your weight loss goals.

What you eat is either healing your body or harming your body. Choose wisely.

Beware: Eating These Fish In The Caribbean Can Harm Your Health!

1/5/2016

First let me apologize for this post being a little longer than normal. However, this information is so important I did not feel I would do it justice by not explaining it all.

I want to share some very important information with you, that I hope you will share with your friends as well. Most people are not aware of what I am about to share and that is why I want to get this information to as many people as I can.

One month ago I traveled on vacation to Saint Maarten in the Caribbean. I always look forward to eating fresh seafood and enjoying the local cuisine. The food on Saint Maarten was wonderful, however, one night after enjoying a lovely grouper dinner I woke up feeling very sick. I spent the next 24 hours feeling like I was on deaths doorstep. I have had food poisoning once before and thought that this was just an extreme case of it. However, the pain was so intense and some very strange things happened during that 24 hour time span that did not fit with food poisoning. At the height of the attack I experienced a frightening spasm of my hands where they contorted into positions I can not now replicate. As well as I felt a rush of numbness and tingling that went up both my arms and my legs. My tongue had pins and needles in it, and drinking water was very painful- like drinking a mouthful of glass. My stomach felt as though I was being repeatedly stabbed with 100 knives and walking was impossible. As I laid on the bathroom floor I really felt that at that moment I was going to die. This intensity lasted about 20 minutes when suddenly the contraction in my hands released and I felt some of the pain in my stomach diminish.(The power of prayer is incredible)
It was within the next few minutes that I was finally able to take some of the medications my boyfriend had gone to find for me. He literally had to carry me to bed as I was too weak to stand or walk on my own. I slept the next few hours and woke up feeling much better, no pain in my stomach!! However, I was extremely weak and the way I explained it was I felt like I had run 4 ironmans that day.
I still had a strange sensation in my hands and feet as well. They felt all "pins and needles". I thought I was suffering from a bad case of dehydration and hoped it would be gone by morning. It wasn't. Neither was the tingling of my tongue, nor the incredible leg(bone) pain I would experience at random times. I have begun to call these "attacks" as I never know when I will be overtaken with intense pain, nor do I know where in my body it will hit. I made it through the rest of vacation but knew something was not right in my body at all. I did not know what it was or what to do about it yet.

Upon coming back home it was brought to my attention that there is a toxin found in some Caribbean fish. I had FISH POISONING, otherwise known as, CIGUATERA.
CIGUATERA is a food borne illness that one gets by eating contaminated reef fish. The reef fish eat the small fish along the reef who have eaten the bacteria off the coral. There is no way to know a fish has the toxin. It appears normal, it smells normal, the toxin can't be killed when cooked, or frozen. This is dangerous stuff!! The most common fish that CIGUATERA is found in are: grouper, red snapper, barracuda, sea bass, amberjack, spanish mackeral and eel. The fish that are toxic are found in the waters of the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Coastal Central America.

The signs and symptoms you have contracted CIGUATERA are:
-nausea
-vomiting
-diarrhea
-muscle pain
-numbness/tingling
-abdominal pain
-ataxia
-vertigo/dizziness

In severe cases:
-hot and cold temperatures will feel reversed
-skin rashes
-itching
-chills
-shortness of breath

There is no cure for CIGUATERA. Just time. People who contract this toxin may suffer with symptoms from a few weeks to several years and many experience recurrent episodes.

Those that do get CIGUATERA need to avoid eating fish, nuts, seeds, oils, chicken and eggs as they may cause a exacerbation or a recurrent episode.

It has been almost a month since my exposure and I still struggle with symptoms daily like, severe itching(at first I thought I was allergic to Saint Maarten due to the itching!!), extreme sensitivity to cold with both my hands and feet and tongue. Touching cold water feels like touching hot coals. I also have had random attacks of horrible joint pain, extreme numbness/tingling in my hands and fatigue. I do have good days and bad days. The symptoms are starting to abate and I am praying daily that they continue to. I have read stories of people who are suffering 10- 20 years after exposure and this conjures of feelings of fear, sadness and anger!

I am angry that travelers are not made more aware that this toxin exists. I am angry with the restaurant for serving a fish that they knew had the potential to do such harm to people. I am angry with myself for not being more proactive in looking up travel dangers. That is why I am writing this post. I hope to spread the information to as many people as I can so that no-one has to go through what I am going through. I would not wish this on my worst enemy. So, please, share this post with your friends. And when you travel please check out travel websites to look for things to avoid in the area you are traveling to. To be honest, I would also suggest not eating the fish listed above even when you are home unless you can be sure you are not getting fish from the Caribbean. There have been accounts of imported fish causing outbreaks of CIGUATERA in both New York, and St. Louis.

In the end it comes down to what I always say "when you know better, you do better"....we always have to be educating ourselves. And sharing information is one way to educate.

Do You Have a Zinc Deficiency?

11/4/2015

A zinc deficiency is more common than you might know, and it can cause many health issues.

The most common signs and symptoms of a zinc deficiency are:
1-Low immunity: If you get sick often, have chronic allergies or immune system issues this is a big sign of a zinc deficiency.
2-Slowed ability for wounds to heal, frequent skin infections.
3-Changes in appetite- crave salty or sweet foods often.
4-Weight gain or loss with no explanation.
5-Hair loss or thinning of hair: zinc is an essential mineral that supports thicker hair growth.
6-Digestive problems like diarrhea: if you have loose stool this is a big zinc deficiency symptom, also gas and bloating or IBS are all warming signs of a zinc deficiency.
7-Leaky gut: zinc has been shown to resolve permeability and tighten junctions in the gut to prevent intestinal permeability.
8-Chronic fatigue.
9-Infertility.
10-Hormonal problems, like worsening PMS or menopausal symptoms.
11-Nerve dysfunction.

Who is most at risk of a zinc deficiency?
1)Vegans/vegetarians. Their diets exclude the protein sources that are richest in zinc.
2)People who suffer from severe stomach acid issues, leaky gut or alcoholism as they are not able to absorb the zinc.
3)Women on birth control or on hormone replacement drugs, as this can interfere with zinc's roles in the body related to hormones.

What causes a zinc deficiency?
1)Stress
2)Overtraining
3)Pregnancy or breastfeeding
4)Malabsorption

How to overcome a zinc deficiency:
1)Consume zinc rich foods like pumpkin seeds, oysters, grass fed beef, sprouted nuts and seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, almonds and peas.
2)Take a probiotic or eat probiotic rich foods like kiefer and fermented foods like sauerkraut. This will help with increasing digestion and absorption of zinc.

Read This Before You Get A Flu Shot

10/26/2015

Flu season is upon us, so how do you keep yourself healthy? Should you run down to Walgreen's and get your annual flu shot? Or is there a better more natural way to keep yourself running at top speed this winter? I think there is. It lies in knowing your Vitamin D level and optimizing it.

Vitamin D is a potent antimicrobial agent in your body. It helps to produce 200-300 antimicrobial peptides that kill viruses, bacterial and fungi!! WOW it is powerful!

If your Vitamin D levels are in the tank your immune system will be at risk. You will be more susceptible to catching colds, flu's and other respiratory infections. You don't want that do you?

The optimal level of Vitamin D you should be aiming for on your blood test is 50-70ng/ml. For most people this means taking a Vitamin D3 supplement in the dose of 8,000 IU's/day. You may require more if you have any pre-existing health conditions.
One thing to remember is that when you take this higher dose of Vitamin D3 you also need to take Vitamin K2 along with it. Many of the Vitamin D3 supplements come with Vitamin K2 included in them already making this part easy on you.

This is a very general guideline and I do suggest you get your blood level of Vitamin D checked. It is a very simple and easy blood test that your Dr can order for you. I also can order blood tests for you the cost is only $18 and can be done at any Quest Labs location.

The research is out there, the higher your Vitamin D level the less likely you are to get sick. So, don't take a chance, get tested and have a healthy fall and winter season!

Probiotics and Prebiotics. What are they and why should you care?

10/22/2015

Why should you care whether the good bacteria or bad bacteria in your gut are winning? The reason is because whether the good or bad are ahead will help determine how well you digest your food, respond to allergens, and fight off illness as well as how much weight you can lose or gain! Our guts are in control of A LOT!

Putting it simply, if you heal your gut and get healthy from the inside you may shed some extra pounds. Unhealthy gut bacteria contribute to food cravings. Good bacteria has been shown to help control appetite. The good news is that you can influence the bacteria in your gut by choosing the right foods. Bacteria follows the food. What we eat dictates which bacteria we grow in our gut.

Probiotics are a type of good bacteria that aid in digestion and help to re-populate the good gut flora.

Prebiotics are plant fiber compounds that are also found in food. They help to stimulate the growth of good bacteria.
Combine these two and you have a one-two punch on being an intestinal superstar.

Fermented foods are a good source of probiotics. Kefir or yogurt with "live active cultures" are a great start. High fiber foods also promote good bacteria growth.
Foods to avoid: refined carbs, fatty and sugary foods. Not only are these lacking fiber, but they can help the bad bacteria thrive.

Cleaning up your diet will help you look good on the outside and, more importantly, make your insides shine!

Need some help? Give me a call. I can put you on the road to health and wellness and have your gut garden flourishing in no time.

Gateway To Health

10/6/2015

Your gut is the gateway to health. If your gut is healthy, you are likely in good health.
Poor gut health can suppress thyroid function and trigger Hashimoto's disease, and low thyroid function can lead to an inflamed and leaky gut!

Leaky gut is essentially like having the gates broken from your intestines to your blood stream so many of these particles that should never have been able to enter have now gotten through.
When this happens it causes inflammation throughout your body leading to a variety of diseases.

According to a study published in a Norwegian medical journal this process “is implicated in the onset of disease include several acute and chronic pediatric conditions that are likely to have their origin during infancy” and has been linked to:
• Allergies
• Asthma
• Autism
• Autoimmune disease
• Eczema and psoriasis
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)
• Type 1 diabetes

If you are experiencing any issues like: gas, bloating, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, have the diagnosis of an autoimmune disease like Hashimotos, lupus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia, experience mood disturbances like depression or anxiety, have skin issues like, acne, rosacea or excema, candida and food allergies or intolerance you may be suffering from leaky gut.

Fixing your leaky gut is possible. It takes some work, and making lifestyle changes but it can be done. Those symptoms and illness that have been plaguing you, sometimes for years, will heal. The quality of your life will improve drastically.
If you would like more information or want to find some help please get in touch with me. I am here to help. I have had to do this work on myself too, I understand what you are going through and feeling.

Super Simple Way To Boost Your Health

9/17/2015

"You don't need to work at getting healthy; health is something you already have if you don't disturb it"

Problem is, we all disturb it to some degree. You do have control over the degree of damage you do though. Diet and exercise are two of the biggest predictors of health. How do you think you are doing? Could you/Should you be doing better? Are you willing to make some changes to positively affect your health?

Optimizing your Vitamin D just may be one of the simplest, most effective ways you can significantly improve your health.
For example, Vitamin D has been shown to reduce heart attack rates by 142%! Lipitor's claim is it can reduce heart attack risk by a measly 37%.....and they fail mention all the side effects that you also take on when taking this drug.

As a nation we are seeing epidemic proportions of critically low levels of Vitamin D.

Referred to as the "sunshine vitamin", it is actually not a vitamin at all, but rather a hormone that you get from either sun exposure or supplementation. Vitamin D plays a critical role in activating your immune system, helping you fight infections, colds and the flu. Vitamin D deficiency is also linked to depression, dementia, and its ugly cousin, Alzheimer's Disease. There is actually over 1000 genes that vitamin D helps to regulate. It is pretty powerful!

So why risk it? Get your blood level of Vitamin D tested. It could significantly change your health.
You can ask your primary Doctor or, I can order the test for you. The cost is only $18.

YUMMY...Make These For Dinner Tonight!!

9/14/2015

I just discovered the most amazing way to prepare brussels sprouts! I made them for dinner last night and just may have to have them again tonight! They are that good!
Super easy too, which I like!
Here is the recipe:

Crispy Asian Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:
*1 pound fresh brussels sprouts
*3 tablespoons olive oil
*3 tablespoons soy sauce(you can use coconut aminos, or fish sauce)
*2 tablespoons maple syrup
*2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice(1/2 a large lemon)
                                                         *1 garlic clove, minced
                                                       *1 tablespoon hot sauce
                                                         *pinch of black pepper
                                                         *pinch of salt

Instructions:
1)Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and set rack on very top.
2)Prepare the brussels sprouts by cutting off the base of each sprout, slicing them in half from top to bottom and remove the excess of loose leaves.
3)Cover a large rimmed baking sheet with foil(easier to clean)
4)generously drizzle the brussles with the oil and sprinkle with salt. Stir with your hands to ensure all are well oiled and salted.
5)Place in the oven on the top rack for 50-60mins. After 20 and 40 minutes stir the brussels to ensure all sides get crispy.
6)During the last 5-10 mins of cooking, reduce remaining ingredients(soy sauce,lemon juice, hot sauce and black pepper)in a saute pan over medium high heat until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
7)Remove the brussels from the oven once nice and crispy.
8)Place them in a bowl and toss with some of the reduced sauce. Do this a little at a time as you don't want the brussels to be soaked in sauce so they retain their crispy texture. You may have a little left over sauce.

Enjoy!

Is Your Thyroid Out Of Control?

9/11/2015

The numbers of people who have thyroid disease are actually much higher than doctors think. There are over 27 million Americans who have thyroid disease and over half of them are not even diagnosed.

It could possibly be you?

Have you ever gone to the doctor with the complaints of fatigue, weight gain, hair loss, or any other symptoms? And in your complaint, blood work was done? Sure, if you are like so many people, that is your experience.

However, the real issue is the way that the thyroid is tested. This could be your issue also. Over the next few minutes, I am going to explain how the thyroid works so that you can request the appropriate blood tests. Before we start, I want you to understand the blood tests - at least so you will recognize the test name.

The TSH is the gas pedal that motivates the thyroid to work. The pituitary gland produces a hormone called TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) and it will increase when the thyroid gland is not producing enough hormone. The T4 is the inactive hormone and it the most abundant hormone produced by the thyroid. The T3 is the active hormone and it the hormone produced in a very small amounts by the thyroid.

The T4 is converted to T3 mainly by the liver. There are several things that can impair the conversion of T4 to T3 and if this occurs, the person may have all the signs and symptoms of a low thyroid but, initially, have normal laboratory tests when ordered by a conventional medical provider. However, it is important for the symptomatic patient to have T3, T4, and TSH checked and not just the TSH.

If a person has a high level of cortisol, a steroid hormone that battles inflammation, the thyroid conversion can be suppressed. Therefore, if the patient is not well, in general, it is possible that a simple TSH will not tell the entire story. Also, if you are deficient in zinc and selenium you will have thyroid dysfunction. These minerals are needed for the thyroid to convert T4 to T3. This is just one reason to take a pharmaceutical grade multivitamin.
A reverse T3 is very informative to the suspected thyroid dysfunction. If one does not convert normally from T4 to T3, then there may be a rise in a hormone called Reverse T3. This is an inactive hormone and it is the default hormone in those patients with abnormal conversion capabilities. This condition is called Reverse T3 Dominance Syndrome.
The most common condition of the thyroid is Hashimoto's Disease, or Thyroiditis, and is much more common in women. This is an autoimmune condition and it has been associated with gluten sensitivity.

If you are experiencing any of the complaints listed above ask your Dr to run a complete thyroid panel(not just a TSH!). My office also offers discounted labs and can order these tests and interpret them for you as well.

Dr. Tracey Cain

I not only have been treating patients since 1999, I am also one of you, continually seeking healthy ways to maintain my own health.

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