Its surprising how we as a society tend to take better care of our cars than we do our own bodies. The single most important thing we have; we put junk gas in it, we drive on the worst roads (literally), and we rarely clean the filters (liver and kidneys!).

Our health is a reflection of all our body parts and their ability to do their job well. Oftentimes, unexplained fatigue or a need for a nap that didn’t used to happen can indicate a new development in the function of the body. Chronic hunger can indicate a lack of digestive capacity, weight gain can imply blood sugar dysregulation, and shortness of breath can lead to a cardiovascular finding. Addressing these things with the philosophy of fix the cause, not the symptom goes a long way towards a healthy life and fewer medications.

One of the ways we can get a tune up is to get regular blood work, make sure everything is in a functional range and take action to bring the items that are out of a functional range into a healthy range. Let’s talk about what kind of things we see on a lab report.

BLOOD GLUCOSE: helps determine if you are a pre-diabetic or type 2 diabetic One in three American adults has some sort of blood sugar dysregulation today!

• Fasting Glucose
• Hemoglobin A1C: 3 month average of your blood sugar

LIPID PANEL: helps determine the efficiency of the liver, and whether or not you are eating the wrong kind of fats. Also an indicator for your heart health risk factors.

• Cholesterol
• HDL
• LDL
• Triglycerides

COMPREHENSIVE METABOLIC PANEL: helps to assess general health parameters. If you are getting enough veggies that support minerals, whether digestion is sufficient, and how well your filters are working.

• Liver enzymes
• Kidney function
• Minerals: Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, etc
• Protein levels

VITAMIN D: helps assess bone and immune health

IRON PANEL: helps assess whether or not anemia is an issue

THYROID FUNCTION: helps to determine metabolic health, the ability of the body to create energy out of food, skin and gut function, as well as general mental well-being.

COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT: helps to evaluate general immune health. Chronic vs acute infections, anemias, and blood clotting mechanisms.

• White and red blood cell counts and sizes
• Platelet count

INFLAMMATION MARKERS: helps to identify markers that indicate the body is under-performing either as a result of deficiency or inability to remove waste products.

• Uric acid
• CRP
• Homocysteine

Common Lab Tests

• Blood Glucose
• Lipid Panel
• CMP
• Vit D
• Iron Pane
• lCBC
• Inflamation Markers

These are some of the basic blood lab panels, which obviously can be a great jumping off point for getting your health back on track. If you feel like it is time for your tune up, let my office know and I am happy to provide you with an affordable cash lab order. I am contracted with the local labs and the results are sent directly to my office. We can then schedule an appointment to review them in detail. If you have already had lab work done from your primary care doctor in the last year, ask for a copy of the results and we can review them together. Now you may be thinking, “My doctor said my test results were normal, why do I need them reviewed again?” There is a difference between a “normal” range and an “optimal” range. The lab ranges are an average taken from everyone (sick or healthy!) in a geographical area. So perhaps your iron results are “average,” but who wants average function when they could have peak performance?

Let me give you an example: A lab range for Total Iron may be 60-170, but an optimal range is 85-130! If you went to get your labs done and you value was 62 (at the low end) or 168 (at the high end), the doctor would tell you your results were “normal” and send you on your way. But is this optimal health? You may be on your way towards a serious health issue. This is why comparing your results to the average may not uncover dysfunction until it is too late! I use optimal ranges to guarantee that your body keeps performing at peak performance, instead of waiting for a serious issue to emerge.

Many of my wellness patients only need labs once a year, just as a way to make sure they are maintaining or improving their health, its like an annual tune up. What you don’t know can sometimes be harmful. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

CONTACT:

Dr. Virginia S. Irby D.C.,DABCO, ACN

Cascade Chiropractic

2371 Iron Point Rd. Ste. 130

Folsom, CA 95630

916-844-2800

I expect for some of you reading this down time may be an issue, so let’s start with what happens during our most important down time, sleep. For some, sleep comes naturally and unadulterated, while for others it is a dance, with bad music, bad partners, and a dance floor covered in mud. It can be hard to find the rhythm. Perhaps small children are in your life right now, or a partner who snores, or you travel for your job, or perhaps you just don’t know why! It happens! Sometimes our sleep issues are things we don’t think could contribute like a poor diet, improper digestion, a Rx side effect, chronic adrenal stress (from caring for a loved one, a job you don’t love, a difficult personal situation) or hormone disruption. Hormone disruption is defined as menopause, birth control, blood sugar issues, stress, etc. Needless to say, there are a multitude of reasons why sleep may evade us.

Is Sleep Really that Important to our Health?

Did you know that recent research has shown that there is a specific kind of lymph in the brain called glymph? Think of the lymphatic system as the sewer system of the body, it follows our circulatory system so goes everywhere we have blood, and picks up the trash we made as a result of our daily cellular processes. The glymphatic system is a waste clearance pathway specifically for the central nervous system; the brain and spinal cord. Glymph cleans up all our brain’s trash during our sleep cycles. It ONLY works when you sleep. It also has other important functions such as the distribution of glucose, neurotransmitters, fats and amino acids, all vital for a properly functioning brain.

Recent studies indicate a failure of the glymphatic system (poor sleep) may contribute to pathology in neurodegenerative disorders (think Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Dementia), brain trauma, and stroke (1 Science Daily 2/27/19). The deeper the sleep the better, so if you have a sleep issue it’s important to get to the underlying cause and fix it, not just cover it up with a prescription. Drinking plenty of water, regular exercise, and getting enough good sleep are all essential to a well functioning glymphatic system.

Purposeful Calm

Many of us suffer from being wired and tired. That means that we are up at 6am take care of our daily responsibilities and finally fall into bed by 11pm or midnight. Maybe we found time to go to the gym and do some strenuous cardio or run a few miles (hard on the adrenals by the way if they are not amazing) and we put that last load of laundry in just before crashing. Now you’re laying there in bed pondering all the things you didn’t get done, or need to do tomorrow, but, most importantly, you’re not sleeping! So tragic! All you need is sleep, but it doesn’t come. We need to find the time to relax, to be calm and introspective.

Some say you have to schedule it in, while others say you need to be more spontaneous about it. I have found that a little of both is needed. Planning personal time into your week, whether its a 15 minute period of meditation at the start or end of your day, a yoga class, a daily commune with nature, a set time to read, etc., is a necessary part of your productive lifestyle. As for the spontaneous part, be on the lookout for opportunities, deviations from the plan that would include some “down time.”

Here’s a couple of ideas for spontaneous moments:

1. You need to go to the post office for stamps, the grocery store, and stop at the pet store for dog food. Instead of 3 stops, get your stamps at the grocery store and while at the pet store stop and look at the fish, kittens or puppies for a minute or two. Spend a couple of minutes with a smile on your face, with stress free, purposeful calm.
2. You take the kids to practice and the usual routine is you sit and chat with the other parents. While this can be considered down time, only you can say if that’s true. Is it really? Or is it just part of the problem? Change it if needed. You’ll be glad you did, especially if you have limited “me” time. Quality time management is so important!

Its easy to get distracted from our mission, and before you know it an hour has passed and now we are behind. The most common place for this to occur is getting sucked into social media or TV. Purposeful calm is just that, purposeful. Intentional distraction means you’re still in control and it’s not mindless deviation. So whether its planned down time or spontaneous purposeful calm, enjoy the benefits of refueling your spirit, your body, your mind.

Quality down time can also benefit our adrenal glands, thyroid, and digestive system. For some, quality down time needs to look like a 20-30 minute nap. Simply getting horizontal can boost adrenal function for the rest of the day. This is especially important for those who don’t sleep well. You don’t even have to go to sleep, just set an alarm, listen to something relaxing, and give the adrenals a break from all the hard work they do. Remember, stressed out adrenals can keep you awake at night by making too much cortisol, so be nice to them!

The act of self-care has never been more important with our busy lifestyles. Having lived out of the country in slower paced environments I can tell you there is benefit to stepping out of the fast lane from time to time and replenishing yourself. Discover what fits into your routine, where can you slow down and replenish? Your body will thank you for it. And remember, quality down time doesn’t have to be time spent by yourself. Many people love spending quality time with family members and friends.

Make time to call that friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with, but never see. Have lunch with a sibling or significant other. Host a movie night. Plan a vacation! The options are endless and should be something that brings YOU joy and rejuvenation.

To finish today, I want to offer some practical solutions to improve your sleep.

Solutions for Improving your Health through Standard Process and MediHerb

If sleep is an issue you must first identify the cause…

1. If a snoring partner, you know what you need to do. Move them or you. Eliminating allergens, starting a detox program, and losing weight can all help with snoring.
2. If you have a hormone issue you may need to balance them with lifestyle changes, herbs or start a detox program. Lab and saliva test can help us determine if hormones are keeping you from sleeping.
3. If you have stress or anxiety there are whole food supplements and herbs that can be helpful while you establish a healthier lifestyle and/or wean off anti-anxiety meds. Some examples are:

• Adrenal Complex
• Ashwaganda Complex
• Drenamin
• Adrenal Tonic
• Dessicated Adrenal

To work with me on a plan specific to your needs and concerns, call my office to schedule an appointment!

CONTACT:

Dr. Virginia S. Irby D.C.,DABCO, ACN

Cascade Chiropractic & Nutrition

2371 Iron Point Rd, Ste 130

Folsom, CA 95630

916-844-2800

virbydc@gmail.com

Facebook.com/dr.virginiairby

Instagram.com/dr.virginiairby

Sign up for my Newsletter:

https://cascadechiropractors.net/newsletter-sign-up/

Let me demonstrate with a picture.

When we think about hormones, we almost always think about the sex hormones right?

Estrogen

Progesterone

Testosterone

LH (Luteinizing Hormone)

FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone)

While we have all of these hormones from puberty through our reproductive years and into menopause, they are definitely in varying amounts depending on the physiological needs of the body.

The balance of these hormones is achieved through a coordinated effort of the hypothalamus , pituitary, ovaries and endometrium (lining of the uterus).

It’s also important to remember is that we also have thyroid hormones, pancreatic hormones, adrenal hormones, etc.

There are many things that can trigger menopause. Four of the more common ones are:

1. Normal aging of the reproductive system
2. Chronic stress resulting in a decrease of hormones produced
3. Hysterectomy or the removal of ovaries
4. Ablation or cauterization of the uterine lining (usually for a heavy cycle)

So you can see that the general rule of “not having a period for a year” means you have reached menopause, does not always hold true.

Lets look at the natural aging reproductive system first. As the ovaries prepare for retirement anytime between the ages of 40 to somewhere in the 50’s, in a healthy woman there is a gradual transition of hormone production from the ovaries to the adrenals. The pituitary keeps calling the ovaries who are preparing to retire, but it is a process. They are part time for anywhere from a few months to a few years!! The pituitary calls and says “Hey we could use some estrogen and progesterone here in the body.” The ovaries may or may not answer the pituitary. If they don’t answer, the switchboard operator generally reroutes that call to the adrenal glands who then begin the process of making a new kind of estrogen, E1 and progesterone.

If this happens, all is great! However, there can be a glitch in the system. If there is stress, and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have some level of stress, the adrenals will prioritize stress over making sex hormones. What that means in the long run is that if you are under chronic stress prior to the menopausal transition, your adrenals may be in no shape to assume the added responsibility of making additional hormones.

Next let’s talk about some ways the body can be forced into menopause. If you have had a total hysterectomy, your pituitary is no longer receiving messages from the ovaries and the ovaries are no longer answering the phone, so to speak, when the pituitary is trying to communicate its need for more hormones particularly estrogen and progesterone. The result of this type of forced menopause is that there has been no gradual transition of the responsibilities of the ovaries over to the adrenals. The shock to the body and nervous system can be drastic. Many times the MD (surgeon) will recommend bioidentical hormones or synthetic hormones depending on the age of the patient. This is not always a bad option, but should be evaluated on a case by case basis. ALWAYS however, as we have discussed earlier, the adrenals must be supported as the body adapts to the idea that you are now in menopause. It is now their job to make a new kind of estrogen, E1 as opposed to E2, and progesterone, so you can see how important adrenal support can be during this transition.

Finally, lets talk about ablation, another type of forced menopause. From about 15 years of age to 50 years of age, we as women are supposed to cycle. That means the hormones are supposed to flux each month: Estrogen rising and falling, progesterone in a bell curve over the last 2 weeks of the cycle, all coordinated by the HP axis. During these last 2 weeks the lining of the uterus or the endometrium is thickening in preparation to receive a fertilized egg should one be presented. If not it should shed during days 1 to 5 or so of your new monthly cycle. Well, we know that would be in a perfect world and sadly many of us don’t have that experience. New technology came up with a procedure that cauterized the lining of the uterus resulting in no longer having periods. What they didn’t consider is what would that do to the feedback loop from the uterus and ovaries to the HP axis. Research is showing that many of these procedures have resulted in early onset menopause, not an outcome they were hoping for. We have 20 and 30 somethings experiencing hot flashes, insomnia, bone density issues and foggy brains. Some of the luckier ones are finding that the body is stronger than the ablation and they are resuming their normal cycles.

So what happens in these situations of forced menopause or stress, is that the HP axis is often down-regulated requiring a reboot of the system. This can be done with herbs, or protomorphogens of the hypothalamus and pituitary to re-establish the communication of the HP axis to the ovaries which are generally still intact.

We also need to support the adrenals so that they can take on the added responsibility. That can include lifestyle modification, exercise, meditation, eating better, and sometimes herbs or nutritional supplements during particularly stressful times of the year.

Chronic stress can cause other health complications for menopausal women as well, such as hypothyroidism. If we think of the thyroid and the adrenals as two ends of a teeter – totter, we are looking to have some balance between the two. If the adrenals are always up in the air under stress, the thyroid is going to be metaphorically on the ground or under-performing. This results in thinning hair, weight gain, slow metabolism, sluggish bowels, dry skin, etc.

Many of us are particularly concerned about weight gain, so let’s address that symptom in particular for a moment. Why on earth would the body add 10-20 lbs suddenly when nothing else changed other than stopping having periods? Well, it’s because the body needs that estrogen that the ovaries used to make, BUT, they are retiring right? And the adrenals that are supposed to step up and make the new kind of estrogen, are incapable due to stress. The body is really smart and says to itself, “Well, fat makes estrogen and I need some really bad, so I am going to add some right here around the belly!” And that is exactly what happens!!!

It’s a bad situation, but there are solutions:

1. Support the HP axis
2. Support the adrenals
3. Get lab tests (either blood or saliva) to see hormone and thyroid levels
4. If necessary, also support the thyroid
5. Make lifestyle changes to decrease stress and eat healthier

I am available to order and review labs over the phone or in person to help you with this transition. It doesn’t have to be prolonged, and suffering is optional. Let me help you. If I haven’t seen you before, you can call for a free 15 minute consultation with me regarding your hormone balance, or schedule a new patient appointment (about an hour). If you are able to send your labs in advance I can review them before your appointment!

CONTACT:

Dr. Virginia S. Irby D.C.,DABCO, ACN

Cascade Chiropractic

2371 Iron Point Rd. Ste. 130

Folsom, CA 95630

916-844-2800

HIDDEN FACTORS

There are several epigenetic or environmental factors that can cause the thyroid to be less effective than it should be. Birth control, body care products that mimic hormones, many chemicals in the form of pesticides, malnutrition, certain medications, are all things we need to be able to recognize if we are dealing with a hormone system that is struggling to be healthy. Stress can also be a factor causing the thyroid to make less hormones, think of a teeter totter, if the adrenals are up the thyroid is down. Balance is key!

NUTRIENTS MISSING?

Sometimes despite our best efforts we are not getting the nutrients we need to make the hormones we need. Labwork and assessment of your diet can help us determine whether or not you may be deficient in any of these very important nutrients. These nutrients and some sources are listed below.

-Protein: Eggs, Meat, Legumes, Nuts and seeds, Protefood

-Selenium: Brazil nuts, Cataplex E

-Vitamin D: Sunshine, Cataplex D

-Iodine: Seafood, Prolamine Iodine

-Zinc: Pumpkin seeds, Zinc Liver Chelate

-Iron: Ferrofood, Fe-Max

-Magnesium: Magnesium Lactate, EZ Mag

This is an example where taking a particular medication might really interfere. Antacids, like Tums or Omeprazole can cause a decrease in the absorption of minerals or a decrease in your ability to digest protein. The real solution is to fix digestion not cover up the symptoms.

WHAT DOES THE THYROID MAKE?

The thyroid under the direct control of the Pituitary, in the brain, makes about 93% of T4, (an inactive hormone), and about 7% of T3 (an active thyroid hormone). Conversion of T4 into T3 requires a healthy liver, healthy gut and important co-factors. Without these it might look like you have a lazy thyroid when in fact you have plenty of T4, you just can’t convert it into T3.

SOLUTIONS UNCOVERED…

When you suspect the thyroid as a health concern, it is important to make sure before you add synthetic hormones or prescriptions which can have adverse effects. The way to do this is to find a health care practitioner who will order lab tests that include all your thyroid hormones not just TSH and T4. If the thyroid is making plenty of T4 but not converting it to T3 due to a liver not functioning well, or the lack of a co-factor, those limited tests of TSH and T4 are often in a normal range. By testing TSH, Total T4, Free T4, Total T3, Free T3, reverse T3 (and sometimes antibodies if we suspect an auto-immune condition such as Hashimoto’s) we can really track down the roadblock to why your thyroid may or may not be the cause of your fatigue and other complaints.

CAN THERE BE OTHER COMPLICATIONS?

We mentioned Hashimoto’s so lets talk about that for a minute. Auto-immune thyroiditis also known as Hashimoto’s is a condition where the body is attacking itself. Antibodies, measurable in the blood, are attacking the thyroid and interfering with its ability to manufacture thyroid hormone. There are ways to help reduce the body’s auto-immune reaction through dietary changes and restoration of the gut (a well known path to auto-immune conditions) to help manage Hashi’s and reduce the long term effects.

Finding a knowledgeable and experienced practitioner who is willing to discover the underlying cause of your health concerns is time well spent. Dr. Google can give you a generic answer that may or may not work, a personalized approach is often a better fit. I use a combination of labwork results, food logs, muscle testing, and a Zyto scan to evaluate your unique situation and create a plan that is personalized to you. If I haven’t seen you before, you can call for a free 15 minute consultation with me regarding your thyroid health, or schedule a new patient appointment (about an hour). If you are able to send your labs in advance I can review them before your appointment!

Dr. Virginia S. Irby D.C.,DABCO, ACN

Cascade Chiropractic and Nutrition

2371 Iron Point Rd. Ste. 130

Folsom, CA 95630

916-844-2800