I have some very exciting news that made me jump for joy when I heard it because I know this is aGAME CHANGER for many of you.
The current pandemic has brought lots of change – I’ve redesigned how I see patients by offering more virtual and zoom style appointments. We’ve been shipping out your protocols to you and offering curbside pick ups as well.
Last week I was invited by Standard Process to be one of their health care practitioners with a full integrated website!!!
I jumped with joy!!!
What this means for Lime and Lotus is that our office is now an approved and authorized distributor and seller of Standard Process and MediHerb products online!
What this means for you is that you can now order and buy Standard Process and MediHerb products online through this website. Products will be shipped from the company directly to you anywhere in the United States.
Online orders through the site over $100 also receive FREE SHIPPING!
I am happy and excited to be able to bring you this additional resource. We will still continue to offer curb side pick up and products from the office but this will be one more option to make your life easier!
Balancing Female Hormones Naturally is Only a Test Away
As a doctor in clinical practice, I am frequently asked by my female patients, “Is it possible to manage my female hormone issues naturally, without the use of drugs, synthetic or bio-identical hormones?” The quick answer to that question is a resounding YES. The biggest challenge, however, is in knowing exactly where you stand with your current hormone status.
Your body has a number of hormones that need to be in balance with each other in order to achieve proper female health and function. The two that will be discussed in this article are estrogen and progesterone. If these are out of balance, women can experience a variety of symptoms and conditions such as weight gain, headaches, premenstrual syndrome, breast tenderness, fibroids, ovarian cysts, heavy bleeding or clotting, menstrual cramps, hot flashes, low libido, migraines and even osteoporosis! The interesting fact is that whether you have too much or too little of the hormone, the symptoms are usually the SAME, so testing for hormones becomes vitally important in determining a specific natural protocol for each woman.
Your hormones are made by glands in the body and deposited directly into your blood stream. They are very powerful, yet made in very small amounts. Your estrogen and progesterone are measured in nanograms (parts per billion), and picograms (parts per trillion). These are very small amounts; a nanogram is equivalent to a pinch of salt in 10 tons of popcorn, and a picogram is equivalent to one drop of water in a 6 mile long train.
I have had many patients who have been prescribed medications or creams from their physicians and when asked how the doctor decided on that treatment, the patient’s answer was “he just wanted me to try this for a bit to see if it helped.” Because these hormones are made in such small amounts, it can be easy to unbalance them if you consume herbs, creams, or hormone replacement therapy without knowing if it is truly necessary.
So how do you determine if you need some support for your hormonal health?
The easiest and most convenient way to test all of your hormones is via a saliva test. This is much different than the routine blood tests that are typically performed.
Routine blood tests will test for the protein bound form of each hormone. In this instance the hormone is bound to a protein and in its INACTIVE form. Approximately 99% of your hormones are in this form and considered the “hormone reserves.” This is why many women can experience symptoms, go to the doctor for a blood test and that test comes back negative. A saliva test, however, will test for the unbound form of each hormone. In this instance the hormone is not bound to a protein and this is the ACTIVE form or functional form of the hormone. It is when we test these hormones that we truly see an accurate picture of a woman’s health.
So if you are experiencing symptoms, the first step is proper testing of your hormones to determine the most appropriate course of action!
Symptoms your hormones
are out of balance:
Do you wake up tired, but have trouble winding down to sleep at night?
Do you struggle with sugar cravings or energy crashes through the day?
Is your hair thinning/falling out?
Are you having trouble losing weight?
Are you experiencing hot flashes or night sweats?
Is your libido cooling off?
Are you struggling with brain fog, or mood swings?
Are your periods irregular, heavy, or painful?
Think you may want to get tested? Check out Dr Stephanie’s hormone testing options below. Each link lists out what hormones are tested with each panel.
Want to learn more about YOUR hormones? Dr. Stephanie offers a phone consultation to chat about your hormones, your health goals to see if natural female hormone balancing would be a good fit for you. Check out more information here.
Author:
Dr. Stephanie Zgraggen, DC, MS, CNS, CCN is a licensed chiropractor, certified clinical nutritionist, and owner of Lime and Lotus, LLC in Charleston, South Carolina. She utilizes saliva testing, herbs, and whole food supplements to correct female hormones imbalances in her patients. Download her free guide: Dr. Stephanie’s Naughty List – The Top Five Foods that Wreck Your Hormone Health here.
Let’s use this summer to learn more about our bodies, our health and easy ways to improve them both!
Welcome to the summer of education – So many of my patients and followers ask for resources and education to learn how to empower themselves and take charge of their own health. So I thought I’d take this summer to introduce you to some of my favorite reading and resources. I’ll even be starting a monthly book club where we can read a book as a group and start some lively discussions!
My first block of resources is focused on the Standard American Diet, how we botched it up, how to get back in check with what we’re eating/growing/producing and the drug companies that are making a fortune off of our misfortune.
Check out the list and see if any resonate with you to check out – If you’ve already read a few on the list let me know in the comments or comment on which one you’re going to read (you know for accountability 😉
You are
exposed to toxins Every. Single. Day. There are approximately 80,000 chemicals registered for use in the U.S., and 800,000,000+ pounds of herbicides are used yearly on our
crops. 1-3 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports
that hundreds of these chemicals are present in our bodies. Research shows that
certain chemicals may affect our immune, endocrine, nervous, and reproductive
systems.
In
fact, your body produces its own toxins, or waste known as endogenous toxins,
simply by functioning. Your body also encounters external (exogenous) toxins,
or chemicals made outside of your body. They are in the air you breathe, the
food you eat, the water you drink, and the products you touch.4,5
External Toxins
Air and Water Pollutants
Cigarette Smoke
Certain Personal Care Products
Dyes and Paints
Heavy Metals
Household Cleaning Products
Pesticides and Insecticides
Preservatives and Additives
Trans Fats
Internal Toxins
Ammonia
Carbon dioxide
Free radicals
You become what you eat
The
typical America diet favors processed foods that tend to be high in refined
sugar, trans fats, and salt. Processed
foods often contain pesticides, artificial ingredients, and genetically
modified organisms that can contribute to toxin build up in the body.6
Exposure to these toxins can overburden
your system’s natural ability to detoxify.
Reducing
your toxic burden can reduce your odds of asthma, cancer, Alzheimer’s,
infertility, hormonal and period problems and so much more. Reducing your toxic
load can help you lose weight, restore your energy levels and balance your
hormones. It can help you conceive a healthy baby and raise a healthy child.
When
the body is overloaded with toxins, these toxins cannot be eliminated from the
body and they slow down cellular function. This translates to decreasing your
body’s function; the brain won’t fire as quickly so you become foggy and forgetful.
This can mean you gain weight or feel tired and/or unmotivated. Many people experience symptoms of toxicity
but don’t recognize what these signs really can mean. How many of the symptoms below do you have?
Symptoms of Toxin Exposure
Fatigue or difficulty
sleeping
Indigestion and other
gastrointestinal upset
Food cravings and
weight gain
Reduced mental
clarity (brain fog)
Low libido
Skin issues – eczema,
acne, dark circles under the eyes
Joint or muscle pain
Headaches
Female hormone
disturbances
Sinus issues
Water retention
Bad breath
Insomnia
Your Organs of Detoxification
My 28 day Reset
Detox Programs are designed to stimulate specific detoxification organs in
the body—the liver, kidneys, and intestines. With help from these organs, your
toxic load can decrease, and your body can concentrate its energy on detoxifying
and cleaning up. This can help you achieve optimal health by cleansing your
body from the inside out. The goal is to
learn how to enhance your body’s ability to detox and remove these toxins on a
daily basis. No matter where start, everyone can benefit from a detox program.
Liver
Filters toxins
Aids the body in metabolizing fat, protein, and carbohydrates
Helps transform many toxins into harmless agents
Kidneys
Filter waste and excess fluid from the blood
Regulate and release the right balance of sodium, phosphorus, and potassium for the body to function properly
Small Intestine
Digests food so that nutrients can be absorbed into the blood and transported to the liver
Provides a barrier that blocks toxins from the rest of the body
Large Intestine
Absorbs water and electrolytes, forming waste that is excreted from the body
Produces antibodies for gastrointestinal health
Contains bacteria that create fatty acids and some vitamins for extra nutritional support
Why you may not be losing
weight
If your
body can’t release toxins through your intestines (poop) or kidney (urine) then
they can be deposited and stored in the body.
Over months, years, or even decades these can build up in the body and
create havoc.
One of
the most common sites for us to deposit toxins is in our fat cells since many
of the chemicals in today’s environment and food are lipotrophic, meaning that
they LOVE
FAT. The challenge is that we
have to release those stored toxins from the fat cells before the fat cells can
shrink. This is one reason why you may
have been eating better and working out more but still seeing NO weight loss results.
Where We Store Toxins
Fat Cells
Bone Marrow
Joints
Liver
Blood
Muscle
Central Nervous
System
What the heck is metabolic detoxification
anyway?
Metabolic
detoxification is your body’s natural process of neutralizing and eliminating
toxins from your body. This three-phase
process unlocks fat-soluble toxins and converts them to a water-soluble state
that is easier for your body to remove. Your body needs key nutrients and
phytonutrients to support each of these phases.
Three phases of metabolic
detoxification
Phase I: Unlock – Stored fat-soluble
toxins transform into an “unlocked” state that is more water-soluble, and in
many cases, more toxic than its original form.
The foods and supplements recommended in the 28 day Reset Detox programs
deliver nutrients that activate enzymes required for Phase I reactions. It also
supplies antioxidants that reduce stress on your body, such as tissue damage
sometimes caused by these enzyme activities.
Phase II: Neutralize – The highly toxic
substances produced in Phase I convert to non-toxic molecules and become even
more water-soluble. The foods and supplements recommended in the 28 day Reset
Detox programs supply key nutrients and amino acids needed to support Phase II
enzymes. These enzymes enhance the water solubility of toxins.
Phase III: Eliminate – Water-soluble
toxins leave your cells, and your body eliminates them. The foods and supplements
recommended in the 28 Day Reset Detox programs provide your body with
plant-based fiber and water, which aid in toxin elimination.
A Simple, Effective Answer is HERE!
You can
create more efficiency around detoxification by modifying your daily food
choices, and habits to support your body’s natural ability to detoxify. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms
listed above or feel like it’s just time for a reset, I encourage you to check
out my signature 28 Day Reset Programs. The
28 Day
Hormone Reset Detox is designed for balancing hormones and the 28 Day
Autoimmune Reset Detox is specially created for those with autoimmune
issues.
My hope is to provide you with easy, effective tools to help you liver YOUR. BEST. LIFE.
Cheers,
Author:
Dr. Stephanie Zgraggen, DC, MS, CNS, CCN is a licensed chiropractor, certified clinical nutritionist, and owner of Lime and Lotus, LLC in Charleston, South Carolina. She utilizes saliva testing, herbs, and whole food supplements to correct female hormones imbalances in her patients. Download her free guide: Dr. Stephanie’s Naughty List – The Top Five Foods that Wreck Your Hormone Health here.
Michael N. Antoniou et al., “Concerns Over Use of Glyphosate-Based Herbicides and Risks Associated with Exposures: a Consensus Statement.” Environmental Health 15, no. 1 (2016): 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-016-0117-0.
Romilly E. Hodges and Deanna M. Minich, “Modulation of Metabolic Detoxification Pathways Using Foods and Food-Derived Components: A Scientific Review with Clinical Application,” Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism (2015): 16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/760689.
Ian A. Myles, “Fast Food Fever: Reviewing the Impacts of the Western Diet on Immunity,” Nutrition Journal 13 (2014): 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-13-61.
Ring in the New Year with a Weight Loss and Detoxification Program
After the last few months of holiday festivities,
overindulgence in the form of food, alcohol, and stress can be at the forefront
of our minds. With the New Year upon us,
many people vow to change their lives and lose weight, drink less, and meditate
more. One avenue that most people do not
consider after a period of overindulgence is detoxification to rid the body
from the chemicals and impurities that accumulated over the holiday season.
Detoxification is defined as the metabolic process by which
toxins are changed into less toxic or more readily excretable substances. It can be compared to the “junk drawer” that
most people have in their home. Over
time, more items collect in the junk drawer until it cannot even be opened
anymore. Your body collects junk in the
same way with the food you eat, the water you drink, and the air you
breathe. This junk consists of
pesticides, pollutants, preservatives, heavy metals, chemicals and caffeine.
The liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal system, and lymphatic
system are all in charge of the handling and excreting of toxins from the
body. If these organs are overburdened,
they can become inefficient just like a clogged air filter might. Signs of toxicity include weight gain,
fatigue, poor digestion, difficulty sleeping, food cravings, mental fog, dark
circles under the eyes, moodiness, and low libido, just to name a few.
Many detoxification programs exist. Here are a few key steps to follow when
choosing the right program for you:
Always check with a licensed healthcare
professional before you begin a detoxification program because people with
certain diseases like diabetes, need to be monitored especially well while
detoxifying.
Make sure that the program is made from food and
is free of preservatives, chemicals, and artificial sweeteners and ingredients.
It is usually better to perform a detoxification
program that is gentler on your body, so choose one that lasts for more than a
day or two.
Buddy up…When you complete a detoxification
program with a friend or family member it helps to stay focused and the results
are usually more significant.
After the completion of a detoxification program, most
people experience increased energy, improved health, weight reduction, improved
digestion, clearer thinking, and removal of food addictions. With all of these improvements the New Year
can definitely begin the start of a New You!
Did you know that Dr Stephanie has created her own online
detox program? Her comprehensive step by
step system will walk you through a 28 Day
Hormone Reset Detox – Want to find out if it’s right for you? Check out the program link here.
