Posts about sibo | Dr. Emina Jasarevic, Naturopath Kelowna

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

Adrenal Fatigue is a modern-day epidemic and results from the overstimulation of the adrenal glands due to chronic stress and over time, low cortisol levels. The most common report is feeling “burnt out”.

Adrenal fatigue is one of the most common health disorders, but it’s not recognized or screened for in conventional medicine – unless you have the extreme case of Addison’s or Cushing’s Disease – and these are uncommon. However, Adrenal Fatigue will impact up to 80% of us at some point our lives. Adrenal fatigue may occur after a major life-changing event such as divorce, surgery, childbirth, or even following a car accident.

The main purpose of your adrenals is to enable your body to deal with stress from every possible source, ranging from injury and disease to work and relationship problems. Adrenal function is of paramount importance because these small glands play a pivotal role in determining the way your body responds to every change in your internal and external environment. For example, the protective activity of anti-inflammatory adrenal hormones such as cortisol help to minimize reactions like swelling and inflammation in situations ranging from allergies to autoimmune disorders. These hormones closely involved in many metabolic processes:

Blood sugar regulation
Metabolism of carbohydrates and fats
Conversion of fats and proteins into energy
Distribution of stored fat – focused around your waist (the spare tire); & sides of your face
Cardiovascular function
Gastrointestinal function

After mid-life (menopause in women, andropause in men), the adrenal glands gradually become the major source of the sex hormones circulating throughout the body in both men and women. These hormones themselves have a whole host of physical, emotional and psychological effects, from the level of your sex drive to the tendency to gain weight.

Adrenal fatigue causes a feeling of generalized “unwellness” which creates havoc on your life. In more serious cases, the activity of the adrenal glands is so diminished that you may have difficulty getting out of bed for more than a few hours per day. With each increment of reduction in adrenal function, every organ and system in your body is more profoundly affected. Metabolic changes occur in your carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, fluid and electrolyte balance, heart and cardiovascular system, and sex drive. Many other alterations take place at the biochemical and cellular levels in response to, and to compensate for, the decrease in adrenal hormones that occurs with adrenal fatigue.

Thyroid

The thyroid gland controls the metabolic rate of every single cell in the body and maintains body temperature. Without enough thyroid hormone, our body slows down. We feel tired and lethargic, gain weight, experience constipation, feel cold, and are prone to depression. The four main thyroid markers we screen for in our office include TSH, free T4, free T3, and Anti-TPO. Sometimes we can include a reverse T3 if necessary.

Ensuring that one has optimal thyroid hormone levels is critical to feeling well. There are many natural treatments, from desiccated thyroid to Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome & Protocol, to herbal-based treatments and lifestyle practices. Read more about Thyroid Health

Do You Offer Seasonal Allergy Tests?

Dr. Emina offers an in-office blood test, following an initial consultation. This test is sent to the lab for objective blood screening of IgE allergic reactions to local Okanagan environmental allergens.

Natural Treatment for Seasonal Allergies:

Based on your allergy test results, we are able to help desensitize you to your allergens in one of two ways:

Individually compounded medicines are created and compounded by the pharmacy based on your results. Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT) works by delivering low dose drops of these allergens at frequent intervals, two to three times a day, under the tongue to build up the body’s tolerance over time. It is an ideal treatment for patients with an aversion to needles, like young children and those with busy schedules that can’t make appointments for shots. Sublingual immunotherapy has been recognized as an efficient and effective treatment for allergies by the World Health Organization and has been used extensively in Europe for over 15 years.
Low Dose Allergen Therapy is a novel and convenient way to desensitize the body to common allergens. Ultra Low Dose Enzyme Activated Immunotherapy is a novel and effective option in the treatment of all forms of allergies. Patients who have used this therapy have found it to be cost effective and enjoy the fact that no further testing is required in order to commence therapy. With less frequent injections, it is time-saving and preferred by many patients, especially those who are weary of needles. It is a very safe therapy, when compared to conventional injections (that can be life-threatening).

How do I know if I have allergies or just a cold?

There are several symptoms to consider to ensure that you have allergies and not a cold:

You are sneezing in rapid, repeated sequences
Your nose, ears and throat (especially the roof of your mouth) are itchy
You do not have a fever or achy muscles
Your mucosal secretions are clear and runny
Your symptoms are lasting longer than 10 days

If you’re still not convinced, naturopathic physicians – commonly referred to as naturopaths – can perform skin or blood tests to confirm whether you are allergic to something.

Dr. Emina jasarevic, nd | Naturopathic physician

sibo

What is SIBO?

FAQ

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

Thyroid

Do You Offer Seasonal Allergy Tests?

How do I know if I have allergies or just a cold?

Address

Email

Phone

Navigate

Hours