10 Tips to Minimize Healing Frustrations and Time

Posted On February 2, 2016 By Dr. Stephanie Davis In Functional Medicine, Healing, Lifestyle, Working with a Practitioner /

The truth about healing is that it?s hard and often very frustrating for those going through it. I get questions from my patients on a daily basis about the progress of their healing journey. I refer to it as a journey and not a process because it truly is something that dramatically impacts your life and becomes a part of who you are. ?It encompasses serious self-analysis, lifestyle and habit changes, and often therapeutic interventions to change physiology and gene expression. People don?t understand why a certain protocol, lifestyle or dietary change is making them feel worse or isn?t working. That?s when I launch into the discussion about individuality, as well as the difficult truth: healing is hard.

There are a few things that many practitioners don?t like to talk about and a big one is the difficulty of the healing journey. This does patients a disservice because they need to understand that healing takes time, effort, and often a good amount of detective work because finding the root causes can be challenging when they?re buried under years of symptoms and physiological adaptations that have occurred as your body works hard to right the ship to keep it afloat. The body often does a good job of this unbeknownst to you since there are many built in back up processes always aiming to keep you alive and as healthy as possible. However, when the insults become too numerous, changes start to happen. It generally isn?t until the boat has ?sprung a leak? that you feel bad enough to do something about it. This process can take years or even decades to develop, so reversing it is hard and often takes years as well. Don?t worry though, healing can and will take place- it just takes time, effort, and perseverance.

There are ways to make the journey easier, saving time, energy, and money. Some of the work regarding diet and lifestyle can be started on your own, but if you have a complex or chronic case, working with someone else will likely save you lots of frustration.

Work with a trained practitioner that understands your case. There is abundant information available on the internet that allows you to research who is the right fit for you, which is very important. Additionally, if the practitioners you?re looking at do free consults or Q&A sessions to see if you?re a good match, take advantage of that.
Doing a complete functional medicine assessment illuminates the journey for the practitioner and the patient. Going back in time starting with pre-birth and pertinent parental history, then walking through birth, childhood, and adulthood in detail allows a timeline to develop that shows major illnesses, exposures, traumas, habits and life events that eventually snowballed into how you feel today. Always tell your practitioner the entire story and truth so you have a complete timeline and don?t need to waste time backtracking once you?re on your healing journey. What may seem insignificant to you, may be of massive importance to your practitioner in uncovering potential causes.
Complete necessary testing to avoid frustration and guessing. Many well intentioned practitioners treat without testing. This isn?t a good idea in chronic cases where the symptoms of conditions are very similar. A good example is with digestive symptoms- diarrhea, gas, and bloating can be cause by many things including SIBO, yeast, parasites, food allergies or intolerances, exposures to toxins, altered microbiome, autoimmunity, etc. Often several of these are occurring simultaneously. Testing allows you to have a more targeted therapeutic plan.
Develop a game plan that works for you and your practitioner. If you don?t think you can handle certain aspects of the treatment plan, let your practitioner know. Most will accommodate your wishes whenever possible- but be honest with yourself. Do you want to alter treatment because you don?t want to do it (such as eliminate foods from your diet) or truly can?t. These are some of the hard truths we have to face when healing. Eliminating foods from your diet and changing your stress response, exercise, and sleeping habits may be challenging at first, but eventually they?ll become habit? it does get easier.
Stick to your guns when temptation strikes. When other people try to sway you away from your healing path, don?t let them. You probably look much better on the outside than you feel on the inside, and they just won?t understand because they?ve never been through it. Sometimes people just flat out ignore what you tell them. Don?t let them ruin what you?ve worked hard for.
Develop strategies for social situations. Hopefully your family understands your journey, but outside the home can be more difficult. If you are going to a social event, preplan and research as much as possible to avoid speedbumps that slow healing. For example, offer to bring some appetizers to the Super Bowl party you?ll be attending so you have something you know is safe for your diet. Additionally, you can make the host aware of your situation and he/she will likely consider you when planning.
Avoid doctor Google. While the internet is an amazing tool for research and empowering yourself, too often people compare themselves to others that were ?miraculously cured? by taking a supplement or going on a special protocol. This occurs much less often than you think, and some of these people are leaving out serious details or just plain lying. The truth is that you and every single other person on this planet on genetically and epigenetically different which means you won?t have the same response to supplements, diet, and lifestyle changes. Eliminate your frustration by not comparing yourself to them since you don?t know the details of their history. Also important to note is that on certain sites some of these seemingly honest testimonials come from people that are paid by companies with motives and agendas. The key to healing is doing what is best for YOU (the insert-your-name-here protocol).
Be honest with your practitioner when they ask if you?ve followed the treatment plan. Avoiding the truth will make it more difficult for you and your practitioner to figure out what isn?t working when problems arise (and they will).
Understand that there will be bumps in the road along the path to healing. There is a reason the terms ?healing arts? and ?practicing medicine? exist- there is no magic pill or protocol that will fix you so as practitioners we must analyze the information and make our best effort to design a treatment plan for you. Since everyone is a unique individual and there?s still so much we don?t know about the human body, it may take some time and effort to find and address all root causes.?Additionally, it takes time to change physiology which is imperative to healing. There is often pushback in the form of reactions and additional or increased symptoms while the body adjusts. This is normal and expected, so unfortunately you have to push through it most of the time. If the symptoms last for an extended period or are severe then treatment should be adjusted.
Be kind to yourself during the journey. We are often our worst critics. Don?t beat yourself up over missing a dose of supplements or not getting to bed on time one night. Life happens! Acknowledge the mishap, forgive yourself, forget it and get back on your plan. Stressing will only make the situation worse and prolong your healing.

Following the above can help make your healing journey smoother and also give you an understanding that healing doesn?t occur overnight. The analogy I often use is the healing is a marathon and not a sprint. There are hills and valleys, but in time the road becomes smooth, you hit your stride and things get easier. Eventually you round a corner where you feel good more often than not, which is a good sign that the finish line is near. For some it takes months, but for others it can take years. There is no way to predict how long, but if you?ve felt poorly for years, it may take years to heal. But take heart in knowing that it?s possible since so many before you have.

Three of the Most Underappreciated Keys to Health

Posted On January 29, 2016 By Dr. Stephanie Davis In Adrenal Fatigue, Cortisol, Lifestyle, Mood Health /

Yesterday my sister had a baby boy? Congrats! It got me thinking about the fresh start we have when we enter this world. The human body is truly astounding. We are inherently born with amazing capabilities that allow us to grow and thrive in spite of the constant insults we hurl at it in the forms of stress, poor eating and sleep habits, lack of movement, not enough time with nature, insufficient meaningful human contact, and the increasing abundance of toxins and pollution in our environment (inside as well as outside).

Unfortunately, the rate at which we are abusing our bodies is catching up with us. There are more chronic diseases now than ever before, and sadly that rate is increasing. We are producing generations now that have a lower life expectancy than we have and our grandparents had. This is not acceptable.

This is by no means is this a news flash, but is worth being said over and over again until people take heart and the message sinks in. LIFESTYLE MATTERS. I?ll say it again, LIFESTYLE MATTERS. Perhaps more than anything else. ?No supplement, diet, or workout alone will do this.

Being healthy doesn?t involve drinking warm lemon water every morning or doing a 2 week detox or even running 3 times per week. While those can be healthy actions, what really matters is HOW you choose to live your daily life- the habits that become part of the fabric of what makes you, YOU. This is what will bring out the best you because it will improve your epigenetics, or how your genes are expressed. Wouldn?t you rather have genes ?bathed? in clean air, water, and nutrients in a body not ravaged by stress or illness? Yes, please!

Actually doing this does take time and effort. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy and health exists on a continuum. The key is shifting the balance in favor of health, so that when an unforeseen stressor or illness arises, you have the capacity to rebound quickly and return to your healthy place.

By now everyone knows they should consume clean food and water, and get proper sleep and adequate daily movement, but I know countless unhealthy people that do all of that on a daily basis. These are definitely important pieces of the puzzle, but to experience true health you need some other fundamental components: true stress reduction and mitigation, a clean environment, and connections with nature and people.

Real Stress Reduction. Stress is a common buzz word, so much so that I believe it has lost its impact and we?ve become desensitized to it. The majority of patients and people I encounter believe to some extent they are managing it well, which is almost never the case. The truth is that real, measurable stress reduction is hard. Stress is inevitable, but how you deal with it is essential. The first step involves honest introspection to identify your stressors, be it relationships, work, finances, losses, past traumas, etc., and finding ways that work for you specifically to overcome them. This could be counseling, talking to a confidant, joining a support group, enlisting a coach, or self-education. For others, physical activity plays a big role in their management of stress.

The second step is having a daily ritual that involves taking ?timeouts? to unplug and do some deep breathing, meditation, or even sitting in silence to clear your head. Helpful tip: if you can?t get away from people, go to the bathroom? it always works because no one questions you.

Clean Environment (in and outside your body). This is a broad topic that is often overlooked, but it can have a significant impact on your health since the indoor environment is often more polluted than outdoors. Thankfully you can fairly easily clean up your home and work environment. Here are some helpful strategies:

– Clean air ducts and replace filters regularly

– Ensure proper ventilation in dwellings

– Invest in house plants or air purification systems that clean the air

– Do proper mitigation if you have mold, radon, lead paint or pipes, etc.

– Use natural options for personal care products and household cleaners

– Don?t get your clothes dry-cleaned

– Reduce exposure to EMF (electromagnetic frequencies) by reducing cell phone use, unplugging all unnecessary appliances and electronics when not in use (especially in the bedroom while sleeping at night), limit Wi-Fi use and turn off when not using it, avoid using a microwave, and choose incandescent bulbs over compact fluorescent ones.

Connection with nature and people. Exposure to sunlight, as well as seeing and hearing the sights and sounds of nature are part of what makes us human. Most people are calmed by the sounds of a rushing river or crashing waves, invigorated when the cool breeze hits their face, or moved at the majesty of mountains or a beautiful forest. There are biological reasons for this. Our ancestors had a strong connection to the natural world and used it as means to survive. It guided them to set up dwellings near water and green space as resources were more abundant there. This environment likely also allowed them to recover from the stresses of living life at this time as well.

Our rapid evolution in the last several millennia has dramatically reduced our contact with nature and we are suffering the consequences. Technology has replaced our relationship with nature? and with other humans.

Connection with other humans is another factor that has ensured our survival throughout time. We are communal animals by nature. We now share more face time with our computers, tv?s, cell phones, and tablet devices than other humans which is hurting us. Studies show that a sense of community and having solid relationships with others is important to health and longevity. ?Make an effort to build and maintain your relationships with others and respect people while they are with you by not having your phone in your face. Also, be kind to your fellow humans as well… there isn?t enough of that anymore.

Again, take time to unplug daily. Get outside- even in the winter months. Grab your family or friends and take a walk through the woods and leave your phone at home. Have a ?no devices present? rule at meals. There are countless ways to take back your connections.

Here?s to living a cleaner and less technologically driven life while being more present and connected to what really matters!

4 Simple Ways to Kickstart the Battle Against Inflammation

Posted On November 18, 2015 By Dr. Stephanie Davis In Inflammation /

Inflammation may be the most common term used in all arenas of health now, and deservedly so since we know that it?s the underlying cause of almost every chronic disease on earth. Inflammation is your body?s response to danger signals, sounding the alarms to trigger biochemical processes to keep you alive in times of infection, injury, and trauma. This acute response is a healthy, normal process that is necessary for life. The key is that it begins and ends.

Chronic inflammation differs from the acute response in that it persists without end in response to foods, hidden infections, toxins, nutrient or hormone imbalances, or inefficient physiological mechanisms that would normally counteract inflammation. It?s the type of inflammation associated with disease. The most significant problem associated with chronic inflammation is that it?s largely silent, often causing destruction for many before it?s detected. During the time it is under the radar, the seeds of chronic disease have been planted and one day you wake up with achy joints and muscles, a headache, and digestive issues. You think to yourself, ?Did I eat something bad or catch a bug?? All the while, this process has been building for years unbeknownst to you.

When these symptoms hang around for longer than a week or two, that?s the first clue this isn?t an acute infection or food poisoning. What do you do next?

The key to reversing chronic inflammation is identifying all possible causes and healing them, which often can be a long process. Working with an experienced practitioner can help you decide what treatments and lifestyle interventions are necessary after a thorough history and appropriate labs have been completed. In the meantime, there are several simple things you can do to begin tipping the inflammation scale in your favor.

Start on a basic anti-inflammatory diet. At a minimum, eliminate all gluten, dairy, soy, and sugar for at least 4 weeks. An organic, whole foods based diet consisting of healthy proteins, fats and high levels of plant foods is inherently anti-inflammatory. If you find that you still have some level of inflammation or other symptoms, you may need to eliminate some of the other common allergens such as corn, nuts, eggs, or fish. Also consider eliminating foods you eat frequently because even though they may not be common allergens or sensitizers, they could be causing an immune response in you.

Vitamin D3 is often deficient in people with autoimmune or chronic conditions. Vitamin D is a strong immune system modulator, especially with regard to its anti-inflammatory capacity. It also supports healthy gut flora, promotes gut barrier integrity, and activates adaptive immunity in the GI tract which all fortify a healthy inflammatory balance. Supplementing with high doses (10,000 IU per day) for a month to start. Be sure to monitor your 25(OH) Vitamin D serum levels aiming for a range of 50-80 ng/mL.

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) as fish oil, cod liver oil, or krill oil are important to the inflammatory response since humans don?t make them efficiently on their own. EFAs support the immune system by regulating the intensity and duration of the inflammatory response and decreasing the production of inflammation promoting compounds. Short term dosing at 3-6 g per day can help ramp up these effects, however caution should be taken when dosing above 3g daily if you take blood thinners or have a bleeding disorder.

Curcumin, green tea extract, and resveratrol all activate a potent anti-inflammatory pathway called Nrf2. They are far more effective at increasing antioxidant production than typical antioxidants, like Vitamin C or E, in their supplemental form. You can use these as individual supplements or in a combination product.

There are many other good supplements and foods that also decrease chronic inflammation, but the options listed above give you a relatively simple starting place. If you visit Dr. Google, the vast amount of information on treating chronic conditions and inflammation can be overwhelming, so spare yourself the confusion and stress.

Completing four weeks of an elimination/anti-inflammatory diet plus some support supplementation will give you a good idea of how advanced your situation is. If you are making good progress, keep doing what you?re doing, but drop the supplements down to maintenance doses. If you don?t feel better or only marginal improvement, then enlisting some help to dig into the causes may be necessary.