Bring Wellness Back Into Your Life With Our Healthy Living Tips

Posted on October 18, 2023

Weight During the Holidays

Halloween is the official start of the holiday season. Yep, that’s right … Halloween! This is often the trigger where someone thinks, consciously or unconsciously, “Well, I’ve never been able to stay on track before, so why even try. I’m just going to eat whatever I want and deal with it in January.”

Enter guilt, shame, weight gain …

Listen up! You can enjoy the holidays, AND curtail weight gain with strategies that eliminate the all-or-nothing approach to food and self-care. After all, when the holidays kick in, you have less to take care of yourself, right? When you put more time into one thing (preparing for the holidays), that time has to be taken from somewhere. The most common places? Your own self care – sleep, eating nutritiously and relaxing your boundaries.

And you know where that’s headed: Burn out!

Stick to your routine and schedule your priorities first – Do you usually workout on Monday, Wednesday and Friday? Go to your book club on Thursday evenings? Do something special on Friday nights? Go! Put these on your calendar in pen!
Define your “bare minimum” – While you might typically go for a 4-mile walk several times a week, what is the smallest amount you can do, no matter what during this busy time? 10 minutes? Great! You can apply this to exercise, meditation, your morning routine … anything that needs a holiday revision.
Take a daily time-out with no phone, no agenda – Unplug from the world. Ten minutes every morning makes a huge difference in how you face the day. Could be a walk, meditation, drawing, a crossword puzzle.
Cut down on emotional eating – Identify exactly what you’re feeling before you take the first bite. Are you hungry? thirsty? tired? stressed? sad? happy? Give it a name, and then choose to eat it. Choose each bite. It takes the “power” away from the food.
Eat more often – Yep, more often! If you find yourself skipping meals, craving carbs and overindulging in goodies, your blood sugar likely needs to be balanced. Every few hours have something with healthy fat, protein and complex carbs, such a nutrient-dense smoothie, avocado with a sprinkle of olive oil and sea salt, or hummus with your favorite raw vegetables. You could even eat leftovers as a mini meal.
Don’t skip your grocery shopping – have food in the house. An empty fridge leads to unhealthy grab and go foods. Don’t have time to cook? Take shortcuts – buy veggies already cleaned and trimmed, make easy soups that will last for several days (lentil soup is my go-to), batch cook to intentionally create leftovers.
Eat your veggies! — Rather than thinking about all the foods you’re trying to avoid, focus on adding as many vegetables as possible to your day! That will naturally “crowd out” the foods you’re trying to minimize.
Create a nightly tranquil self-care routine rather than plopping in front of the television. Consider taking a hot bath, and surround yourself with fragrant candles and your favorite music. You might even “unplug” from all electronics. Gasp, I know!

What we’re really talking about here is …. Slowing down. Slowing down enough to honor your needs. Slowing down enough to eat “good enough” and slowing down enough to breathe.

And, if you really want to lose weight, the coach in me says, “Don’t wait until the New Year. Make it your best holiday season ever. Make it about you.”

Consider checking out our new Weight Loss Program. Our director of weight loss, Macaulay Kerr, and I have banded together to create a program that incorporates Semaglutide therapy (you’ve probably heard of Ozempic) with coaching that focuses on helping you get on track and stay on track. No more losing weight and then gaining it all back.

Want to learn more?

Already a Patient at Blum Center?

To learn more about the program and whether it would be right for you, simply message your provider or call the office to make an appointment with the director of the weight loss program, Macaulay Kerr, PA, who will review the program with you and help determine your next steps.

New to Blum Center?

Inquire about our Weight Loss Program by calling 914.652.7800 or request a phone or Zoom appointment with our New Patient Coordinator, to learn more. Once you are ready to move forward, the first step is to schedule your 60-minute consultation with our Weight Loss Director to ensure this is the best fit for you.

About Melissa Rapoport: A skilled listener, Melissa empowers her clients to achieve their goals by working together to create tools and strategies that are unique to each person that walks through her door. Her passion is to look at the whole person and, like a detective, find their keys to success, incorporating health goals with topics as diverse as dealing with stress, eating healthy while managing a busy life, increasing joy and creating powerful self-care practices.

Posted on October 11, 2023 October 12, 2023

Your Comprehensive Guide to Semaglutide

It was the summer of Semaglutide; in the media, medical offices and all over Hollywood and the fall continuing to buzz as people see the remarkable results from these popular weight loss drugs. So, is it worth the hype? You may have heard of Semaglutide under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, so let’s unravel the science behind this popular peptide.

The Science Behind Semaglutide

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 agonist, which stands for Glucagon Like Peptide 1. This peptide is naturally produced in our gut and serves a vital role in regulating our body’s insulin response and insulin sensitivity, ultimately leading to lower blood sugar levels. It’s a key player in the delicate balance of our metabolic health.

Initially approved by the FDA in 2017 for diabetes management, Semaglutide made headlines again in 2021 when it earned the green light as Wegovy, a groundbreaking treatment for obesity without diabetes. But what’s the secret behind its dual action on blood sugar and weight?

The Weight-Loss Magic of Semaglutide

While we’re still uncovering all the mysteries of Semaglutide, two key mechanisms have captured our attention:

Central Action on the Brain: Semaglutide works its magic centrally, in the brain. By acting as a GLP-1 agonist, it helps reduce hunger and suppress appetite. Think of it as turning down the volume on the constant “food noise” in your mind. This can be a game-changer, especially for those who battle emotional and genetic factors contributing to weight gain. Quieting that noise allows you to reconnect with your body’s hunger and satisfaction cues, a liberating experience for many.
Local Effects on the GI System: Semaglutide doesn’t stop at the brain; it also influences your gastrointestinal system. By slowing down the transit of food through your digestive tract, it ensures that food lingers in your stomach longer, making you feel full sooner and for an extended period.

The synergy of these central and local effects leads to weight loss and improved glycemic control, helping you achieve your health goals.

Are Semaglutide Right for You?

This once-weekly injectable medication can be administered conveniently at home or in our office, depending on your preference. Our approach is to start low and advance slowly, tailoring the dosing to your unique needs. The goal? Achieve your desired weight with minimal side effects.

Maintaining Your Weight Loss

The million-dollar question: “Will I regain the weight after stopping Semaglutide?” Well, it’s a possibility, but not all hope is lost. Data from Semaglutide trials show that some patients did regain weight post-treatment, but they never returned to their pre-Semaglutide weight.

Our mission is to help you find your body’s “set point,” a weight that feels optimal and healthy for you, as this varies based on your genetics. As you get closer to your set point, weight loss might slow down.

Here’s where the functional medicine difference shines. At Blum Center for Health, your journey with Semaglutide is just the beginning. We embark on a 12-week exploration to uncover the root causes of your weight gain. We dive deep into intensive testing for blood work abnormalities, hormone imbalances, toxic load, nutrient deficiencies, and dysbiosis, among other factors. Our dedicated health coaching supports you in correcting these imbalances, ensuring that your weight loss is not just temporary but lasting.

Semaglutide is a groundbreaking tool, offering hope for those seeking to manage diabetes, combat obesity, and achieve lasting weight loss. Our approach goes beyond the prescription, addressing the root causes of weight gain and empowering you to maintain your newfound vitality.

Macaulay and Melissa will be with you every step of the way. Are you ready to embark on your journey to better health with Semaglutide? Book an appointment by calling 914.652.7800 or visiting www.blumcenterforhealth.com

Posted on July 5, 2023 July 18, 2023

How To Tell If You Have SIBO or IBS?

Irritable bowel syndrome, also known as IBS, is the most common gastrointestinal diagnosis.

How common is IBS? Scientific tests show that 10%-15% of Americans suffer from IBS. IBS is more common in women with almost twice as many women having it than men. IBS is characterized by a cluster of symptoms, including recurrent abdominal discomfort, as well as a change in the frequency and/or consistency of bowel movements. Diagnosis is based on these symptoms; there is no official test for IBS.

Due to this broad definition, at times ‘IBS’ is considered a catch-all term for anyone suffering from digestive symptoms who does not have inflammatory bowel disease. When assigned too broadly, it can provide a diagnosis without adequate investigation into the root cause of symptoms, and treatment may focus solely on providing temporary symptom relief rather than permanent resolution. Additionally, IBS is often falsely determined to be solely psychogenic, denying patients access to further investigation while reducing the cause of their suffering to ‘all in their head’.

Changing Tides in Digestive Health

Thankfully, our understanding of gut health – and gut disease – is changing rapidly. Recent research indicates that the development of IBS is multifactorial, and is largely influenced by the health of the gut microbiome, the complex microbial ecosystem that houses fungi, viruses, and bacteria within the gastrointestinal tract. This is most evident when chronic IBS symptoms begin following acute gastroenteritis due to exposure to a pathogen. The introduction of a pathogenic microbe can create both the acute symptoms associated with acute gastroenteritis, such as vomiting, diarrhea, and fever, while creating a long-term shift in gut motility that sets the stage for chronic IBS.

Alterations to the microbiome also appear to underlie the two main categories of IBS: diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D) and constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C). IBS-D has been associated with increased levels of hydrogen-producing bacteria, while IBS-C has been associated with increased levels of methane-producing bacteria; both of these microbial imbalances are collectively known as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).

Does IBS = SIBO?

The gold standard for diagnosing SIBO is small intestinal aspirate, though it is rarely used clinically. Instead, lactulose breath tests are utilized to measure both hydrogen and methane levels; these measurements are indicative of bacterial levels within the small intestine. Research values vary but indicate that anywhere from 33-78% of patients diagnosed with IBS actually test positive for hydrogen and/or methane SIBO. There is now a trio-smart test that also tests for sulfate gas. An additional study of patients who tested positive for SIBO found a 7-8 fold increase in both Escherichia/Shigella and Klebsiella bacteria compared to non-SIBO patients. An additional study in patients with IBS-like symptoms showed roughly 25% of them had an excessive number of fungal organisms within the small intestine, known as small intestinal fungal overgrowth or SIFO. Recently, a large-scale study at Cedars Sinai has identified elevations of a third gas, hydrogen sulfide, in cases of IBS-D, indicating elevation in hydrogen sulfide-producing bacteria as both an additional type of SIBO, and another possible root cause of IBS. Several therapeutic trials that aimed to treat gut microbes with antibiotics have shown favorable improvements in IBS-symptoms, further supporting the theory that microbial imbalances play a key role in the development of IBS.

All of this research indicates that for a huge percentage of IBS-sufferers, microbial imbalances, either in levels and/or locations of bacteria (as in SIBO) or fungi (SIFO), or a combination of both, are largely to blame for their symptoms. These findings are essential in providing relief for IBS patients, as these complex imbalances in the microbiome will not be corrected simply by following the typical treatment recommendations for IBS, such as stress management, increased fiber intake, laxatives or anti-diarrheals, or pain medications.

IBS: A Way Forward To Healing

The diagnosis of IBS simply labels the symptoms as a syndrome, without providing any answers as to why a patient may be experiencing those symptoms. Without a root cause, it is difficult to provide the correct treatment methods. But with a correct diagnosis, the correct treatment methods can be applied.

Depending on symptomatology, it may also be helpful to test for Celiac disease, lactose intolerance, and food sensitivities, in addition to completing imaging to evaluate for inflammatory bowel disease such Crohn’s or Ulcerative colitis. While we have yet to gain access to testing methods for SIFO or hydrogen-sulfide SIBO, a comprehensive stool analysis can provide insight into the body’s ability to breakdown and absorb nutrients, as well as the health of the gut microbiome. It is through these testing methods that specific imbalances in the gut can be identified; once they are identified, targeted treatments can be applied. For patients previously diagnosed with IBS, particularly if they have seen no resolution in their symptoms following the standard IBS treatment methods, identifying the root cause of their symptoms can be life-changing.

At Blum Center for Health, our team of practitioners and health coaches can work with you to heal your digestive distress. Whether you have an existing condition, are experiencing symptoms, or simply want to prevent future complications we are here to support you on the journey. Book an appointment by calling 914.652.7800.

Posted on May 7, 2023 May 7, 2023

What are Adaptogens?

Adaptogens are the wellness industry’s latest buzzword – adaptogenic lattes are popping up in salad bars and blends are finding their home on the shelves of apothecaries. Some adaptogens, like ashwagandha, can be taken in a powdered form. While others, like Lion’s Mane mushroom, can be a nice dinnertime side dish. So, what are they?

Adaptogens are a category of herbs and mushrooms that help balance your body’s reaction to stress by modulating its hormonal and physiological functions. Adaptogens improve adrenal function, protect you from disease, boost immune function and improve overall well-being. Adaptogens help your body handle stress. They are meant to bring us “back to the middle.”

Top Adaptogenic Herbs and Mushrooms

Ashwagandha

What it is: Ashwagandha, also known as “Indian Ginseng,” is a powerful Ayurvedic root that can help your body manage stress.

How it’s consumed: You can add ashwagandha to smoothies and teas. You can buy ashwagandha in powder, capsule, or tincture form.

What it tastes like: In Sanskrit, ashwagandha means “smell of the horse”, which refers to its interesting smell, and supposed ability to increase strength. It tastes slightly bitter, with herbal undertones, but pairs very well with creamy, cocoa flavors.

What it does, according to science: This Ayurvedic root helps reduce long-term stress and alleviate the hormonal imbalances that result from chronic stress. All without inducing a sense of fatigue, ashwagandha helps you build up tolerances to stressful situations, and relaxes an anxious mind. Some research suggests that Ashwagandha helps combat stress-induced weight gain.

Eleuthero Root (Siberian Ginseng)

What it is: Eleuthero root, also nicknamed “Siberian Ginseng,” has been part of the herbal repertoire of Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries. There are more published scientific studies on eleuthero root than any other herb – and when you dig into the research it’s easy to see why so many scientists have been fascinated by this stringy, beige root. Not only has it been shown to decrease stress, but it has immune-boosting properties to boot.

How it’s consumed: People usually take the root and stem extracts of the eleuthero plant either as a tincture or as a powder. Either way, it can be added to smoothies, lattes, or other drinks and tonics.

What it tastes like: We’ll tell it to you straight: Eleuthero root is bitter, and not exactly a pleasant taste. This is definitely not a herb you’ll be downing with water (unless you’re super hardcore).

What it does, according to science: Siberian Ginseng decreases fatigue by increasing your work and exercise capacity without the “crash” that comes with a morning cup of coffee. With this herb, you’ll also recover faster from acute stress and intense workouts. Some preliminary research also suggests that eleuthero can protect against cognitive decline and reduce DNA damage.

There is abundant scientific research confirming their adaptogenic properties such as the ability to help the body resist a stress response in a non-specific way and the ability to help the body maintain homeostasis. Primary adaptogens directly influence the hypothalamic-adrenal-pituitary (HPA) axis in response to stress.

Reishi Mushroom

What it is: Reishi is an adaptogenic mushroom that has been a staple of holistic wellness and herbal medicines for decades — over 200 to be exact. As a species of the “woody” mushroom family, the fan-shaped ‘shroom boasts orange to reddish-brown hues and can be found in the forest areas of Asia, Europe, South America, and the United States. Reishi’s effects on the body are widely ranging – it’s been shown to have anywhere from anti-depressant qualities to anti-fatigue effects on the body.

How it’s consumed:Reishi mushroom has a tough, thick form that is hard to bite into – it’s definitely not a mushroom that you can just cut into and stir fry with your dinner veggies. Most consume it as a dehydrated mushroom powder, or in a liquid tincture form. Though, some cut the mushroom into long strips, then steep it in hot water to make tea.

What it tastes like: This isn’t the most delicious mushroom you’ll taste. Reishi has an earthy bitterness that has been compared to tree bark.

What it does, according to science: Reishi mushroom’s positive effects on the body are widely ranging. It’s been shown to decrease depression and work as an anti-fatigue agent in a population of breast cancer patients. There’s also ongoing research into whether the trace amounts of cytotoxins found in Reishi could be used in targeting cancer cells.

Maca Root

What it is: Maca is a plant native to Peru that has been traditionally used to improve energy and stamina, while also improving sex drive and fertility. It looks like a cross between a turnip and a radish, with thick rosemary-like leaves. Different varieties come in different colors: red, pink, black, and yellow.

How it’s consumed: For most, maca root is supplemented as a dried powder. The caramel-like taste mixes very well into smoothies, lattes, and even the occasional oatmeal bowl.

What it tastes like: It has a delicious caramel-like flavor, with a subtle earthy aftertaste. Out of all the adaptogens, some vote for maca root as the best tasting.

What it does, according to science: This Peruvian root, long used by Spanish royalty, helps improve memory recall ability and overall learning ability. This super root is also known for its ability to protect against depression and age-related cognitive decline.

Rhodiola Rosea

What it is: Also commonly called “Golden Root” and “Arctic Root”, Rhodiola typically grows in the cold, mountainous regions of Europe and Asia, as well as high altitudes in the Arctic region, such as Finland, Norway, and Russia. Historically, people in northern regions of Scandinavia and the Nordics have used Rhodiola for anxiety, fatigue, and depression, People also have used it to increase physical endurance and to improve resistance to high-altitude sickness.

How it’s consumed: Typically it’s taken as an extract that confers both 3% rosavin and 1% salidroside.

What it tastes like: It actually tends to taste somewhat sweet with only a slight bitterness, which allows it to mix very well with many drinks and desserts.

What it does, according to science: It has been shown to help with physical performance in non-athletes by modulating cortisol levels after exercise-induced stress, and to reduce general anxiety as well. Note: it is not recommended in high amounts for pregnant women or those taking Warfarin.

Schisandra Chinensis

What it is: Known also as “Omija”, it is a bright red berry that is natively found in China, where it has been used to make medicine, tea, and wine for centuries.

How it’s consumed: Normally it’s taken in the form of dried powdered fruit, although can also be found in the form of whole dried fruit, juice, or part of a tea blend.

What it tastes like: Called “the five flavor fruit” in Chinese, it has an interesting mixture of flavors described as sweet, salty, bitter, pungent, and sour.

What it does, according to science: It possibly reduces anxiety, and could affect cortisol levels, although most of the research from numerous human trials that were done in Russia have been kept secret. New research is still being currently done however and shows promising possibilities, and the fruit itself is high in beneficial lignans which can aid in maintaining a healthy bacterial gut biome.

Angelicae Sinensis

What it is: Natively referred to as Dong Quai (which translates to female ginseng), this antioxidant-rich, adaptogenic root has long been cultivated in Traditional Chinese Medicine for its health effects in women. Although most likely first widely cultivated in Asia for medical purposes, this nomadic herb canalso be found in the middle east and eastern Europe, and possibly originated in modern-day Syria. It is also very commonly used as a botanical in many popular gins.

How it’s consumed: The root is normally dried and/or powdered and can be found in loose powdered form or with the powder encapsulated into pills.

What it tastes like: Bitter and earthy, but with a very subtly sweet and flowery undertone.

What it does, according to science: The polysaccharides in Angelicae Sinensis have been shown to cause hematopoietic effects in both animal models and in humans, meaning it aids in the formation of new red blood cells and thus could aid in the bioavailability of other compounds in the bloodstream, as well as having anti coagulative effects. There is also some evidence that it does indeed affect the female reproductive system with a kind of hormone regulation and is, therefore, advised to not take it if pregnant.

In Closing….

Adaptogens can have a wide array of benefits to the human body due to the balancing effects they can bring and have properties that can truly aid against the added stresses and anxieties of a modern lifestyle. Adding adaptogens into your diet or taken as an added nutritional supplement could bring some health benefits – at least based on current research – and they are similar in their role against stressors as antioxidants are to oxidizers.

Jennifer L Jennings, DNP is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with a doctoral degree in nursing practice (DNP), an IFM Certified Practitioner, and a diplomate for the American Academy for Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M). She explored functional medicine for her own health journey and observed her body healing through dietary changes, stress management, GI healing and key supplements as well as bioidentical thyroid management. She knew in that moment that the foundations of functional medicine were the comprehensive medicine that she wanted to discover, learn and deliver to her patients. Book an appointment with Jennifer through Blum Center for Health by calling 914.652.7800

Posted on April 5, 2023 April 5, 2023

Mythbusting Common Arthritis Beliefs

Last month I ran a 4-day Arthritis Reset group program. We had a great turnout, and during those four days together several myths revealed themselves through participant questions. Let’s take a look:

Myth #1: Arthritis is an inevitable part of aging.

Myth #2: There is no way to reverse arthritis.

Myth #3: My doctor said I need to stay on medication the rest of my life.

Myth #4: I’ll never be able to exercise again.

Myth #5: My doctor said that my arthritis is not connected to food, stress or any other underlying medical condition.

To which we say: False, false, false, false, false!

Here are some truths:

Truth #1: Arthritis is the #1 disability in the country and more than 50 million people needlessly suffer with it.

Truth #2: Arthritis is afflicting more and more young people every day.

Truth #3: Arthritis is an inflammatory disease, and very often the root cause has nothing to do with age!

Truth #4: Food, stress, your gut microbiome and underlying medical conditions all influence the expression of arthritis

Truth #5: You can live a vibrant, pain-free life.

In fact, that’s why Dr. Susan Blum wrote her bestselling book, Healing Arthritis. Since its release, we have helped thousands of people learn that arthritis is NOT inevitable, and that by following the 3-step Arthritis Protocol, arthritis sufferers will be on the road to living a pain-free life.

We are on a mission to help people all over the world reverse their arthritis! If you suffer from arthritis, we want to help you too. We invite you to join us for the Healing Arthritis Challenge — a 10-week arthritis gamechanger. Dr. Blum with host 2 LIVE calls and I will host 10 Q&A support calls. You will learn exactly what you need to do to reverse your arthritis and we will be with you every step of the way. → Show Me The Challenge!

Here’s a common question: “What can I do to stop my arthritis pain?”

While most doctors offer prescription medications that create a whole host of new problems, we offer a 3-pronged approach to begin your journey to living pain-free.

3 Ways to Stop Arthritis Pain Starting Now

1. Make pain-free food choices: In fact, the single most important influence on reducing your pain is the food you eat!

Here’s what you need to do:

Increase the number of healthy foods you are eating.

Your grocery list should include antioxidant rich dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, swiss chard; and deep, colorful berries like blackberries and blueberries. Aim for 50-75% of your food you consume each day be produce!
Include healthy fats in every meal, such as extra virgin olive oil, avocado, avocado oil, nuts, seeds and wild caught salmon
Fit lots of fiber onto your plate in the form of whole grains, legumes and veggies — to feed the good bacteria of the gut. (Avoid gluten if you know you are sensitive to it, or if you have autoimmune disease).
Spice your foods with turmeric, the bright yellow indian spice that’s not only delicious but also combats inflammation.

Equally important: Avoid inflammatory foods — this includes highly processed foods made with white flour and white sugar, and practically everything that comes in a box. Avoid processed flour products like baked goods and cookies, and sweetened dairy products like ice cream. Shop the perimeter of the store – buy real, whole foods in their natural state.

Even better, we highly recommend following Dr. Blum’s Leaky Gut Diet for Arthritis, which eliminates known arthritis triggers for a period of time, and then reintroduces them in a methodical way to create your personal nutrition plan. Join us for the Healing Arthritis Challenge – I’ll be helping you navigate this healing food plan start to finish.

2. Give Stress the Boot. When it comes to arthritis, the impact of stress is largely overlooked. However, stress and trauma have serious consequences on your gut, your immune system, and your arthritis pain. Improving your resilience in the face of stressors will keep your arthritis from flaring.

Here are a few hot tips:

Simplify your schedule. If you are suffering from arthritic pain this is a cry for help from your biological system. Give yourself time and space to renew and rebuild the resilience that you are lacking. Open space in your week to just be.
Find time for sleep. Make sure you are getting over 8 hours of sleep a night. Work backwards from your wake-up time and get into bed 1 hour prior to that. Make a routine at bedtime that is relaxing and supportive – take a bath, sip some tea, read a pleasant book.
Make room for movement. You don’t need to add a strenuous exercise routine right away unless you find that that helps your pain, but work towards getting there. To start, just make a plan to have a short walk outside, or put down your yoga mat and gently stretch and move your body beyond the confines of the standing and sitting of your normal day.
Book a massage – or other bodywork – for pain relief and stress reduction. Acupuncture, craniosacral, myofascial release are all good options to check out.
Explore mindfulness meditation. This can be a simple as listening to a guided meditation on an app or with our Blum Center recordings. It can also be as simple as breathing in and out throughout your day with intention.

3. Heal Your Gut Microbiome.

Your gut microbiome, the 100 trillion or so bacteria that live within you, are key players in the health of your immune system and a healthy gut is mandatory for preventing and treating any inflammatory disease. It’s clear that healing the gut to heal the joints is a valid, scientifically supported approach to treating arthritis. In fact, hundreds of research studies and articles have been published in the past decade proving the gut-arthritis connection, and showing us how system-wide inflammation begins deep inside your digestive system.

How do you heal your gut? Through using food as medicine, mitigating your stress response and using supplements to support your gut microbiome. Powerfully deal with stress: Less stress = less pain.

To Recap Dr. Blum’s Steps to Heal Arthritis:

Step 1: Use Food as Medicine

Step 2: Heal Your Gut Microbiome

Step 3: Build Resiliency to Stress

Sounds simple, right?

Here’s one last TRUTH: Most people succeed when they have someone with them every step of the way!

The great thing is you don’t have to do this alone!

If that’s you – you want someone to walk you through each step and you love the power of community, please consider joining me and Dr. Blum for the Healing Arthritis Challenge. We will teach you LIVE the exact 3-Step Protocol that we use with patients at Blum Center for Health.

You will learn the best food plan for arthritis, the precise supplements and dosage we recommend for an arthritis-free life, how to build resiliency so that life’s stressors won’t affect your health, and what your gut has to do with your arthritis symptoms.

Ready to live a pain-free life? Join us

Posted on March 1, 2023 March 2, 2023

Is CoQ10 the Secret to a Healthy Heart?

When Heart health is talked about in a conventional setting, lowering cholesterol, quitting smoking, increasing exercise and reducing red meat intake is often recommended. While we agree with those important steps for prevention or treatment of heart disease, the buck doesn’t stop there. There’s many more building blocks that contribute to a healthy heart that we talk about from a Functional Medicine perspective.

Mitochondrial health, your gut microbiome and hormone health can impact cardiovascular disease, too. Inflammation will increase your risk of making plaque in all your arteries. At Blum Center for Health, we treat the whole person and work with our patients to design a program to correct these underlying issues quickly and effectively.

One treatment we often recommend is CoQ10 shots in our Infusion Center. Because it is fat soluble and how well you absorb it is affected by the quality of your digestion, an injection is a great way to make sure you are getting what you need.

CoQ10 is short for Coenzyme Q10, and is found in the highest concentrations in your heart and brain. It powers up your mitochondria, which are the critical energy producing organs inside every cell of your body. CoQ10 is also a potent antioxidant with many health benefits–heart health and beyond!

The whole approach to heart health and CoQ10

The prime candidate for CoQ10 injections are those who are taking a statin or red yeast rice for lowering their cholesterol, because both of these block CoQ10 production as a side effect of blocking cholesterol. Low CoQ10 levels are likely one factor responsible for the muscle aches and brain fog that are commonly reported in people taking statins especially.

If you have fatigue, taking a CoQ10 should be part of your program because it boosts mitochondrial production of energy.

This is also why it’s so critical to take if you’ve had a heart attack or any damage to your heart or want to prevent damage to your heart, because it keeps those heart cells going strong.

The same is true for your brain. If you’ve had a stroke or any damage to your brain or want to prevent damage to your brain, CoQ10 will support optimal functioning of all your brain cells.

Because we know the virus that causes COVID infects the heart and brain, it is especially important for those of you recovering from this virus, and probably all viruses too.

What to expect when receiving a CoQ10 shot

The best way to receive CoQ10 is through our infusion center as an injection so you can absorb the entire dose. When given as an injection, it makes the CoQ10 100% bioavailable because it bypasses the GI tract and goes straight to the cell.

The injection takes only a few seconds and is usually given in either the deltoid or gluteal muscle. There may be some pain when the injection is given and zero to mild soreness for a day in the muscle that the injection is given.

We recommend that you get an injection once a week for four weeks and then to continue with maintenance injections every two to four weeks thereafter.

CoQ10 is a very well tolerated injection with a good safety profile. Majority of people do not experience side effects but nausea, diarrhea, or heartburn have been reported.

It is important to note that CoQ10 should not replace any current medication regimen you are on, and can be helpful in addition to current medications or treatments. Do not stop any of your medications without discussing with your healthcare provider first. Management of almost all diseases at Blum Center remains interdisciplinary with functional aspects such as diet, exercise, supplementation and mindfulness in addition to conventional modalities. Our Functional Medicine doctors can do a work up to see on any existing conditions or can help with prevention of heart conditions. And our Functional Nutritionist and Health Coach are here to work with you on lifestyle and diet changes.

Call or text 914.652.7800 to book your CoQ10 shot in our infusion center.

Posted on February 7, 2023 February 7, 2023

The Power of Visceral Manipulation: Improving Digestive Function

Guest post by Dr. Miho Urisaka, PT, DPT, OCS

Many patients who come to see me for low back pain often have underlying chronic digestive issues that contribute to their musculoskeletal pain. I often use visceral manipulation to the mesentery as a technique that can help reduce their low back pain as well as alleviate symptoms of digestive dysfunction.

The mesentery is a sheet of tissue that attaches the stomach and intestines to the abdominal wall. It is also responsible for providing blood supply and nerve innervation to these organs. When the mesentery becomes restricted, it can cause tension in the organs it attaches to, leading to symptoms such as bloating, constipation, and abdominal pain.

Visceral manipulation is a gentle manual therapy technique that aims to release these restrictions and improve the mobility of the organs. The technique involves the therapist using their hands to gently move and manipulate the organs and surrounding tissue. This can help to break up adhesions and scar tissue, which can cause the organs to become stuck in one position. By improving the mobility of the organs, blood flow and nerve function can be restored, leading to a reduction in symptoms.

Visceral manipulation can also be used to help improve the function of the gut by encouraging the movement of food through the intestines. This is known as peristalsis, and it is important for maintaining regular bowel movements.

Lifestyle changes such as regular exercise, stress management and a healthy diet can also be beneficial for improving digestive function. Nutritional therapy can help to address underlying causes of digestive dysfunction, such as nutrient deficiencies or food sensitivities. Visceral manipulation can help to support these changes by improving the function of the gut and allowing for better absorption of nutrients.

A comprehensive approach that includes both nutritional therapy and visceral manipulation can provide the best results for digestive issues. It can help to reduce symptoms, improve the function of the gut and support the body’s ability to absorb nutrients, and overall, improve the results of nutritional therapy. If you are experiencing symptoms of digestive dysfunction, it may be worth incorporating visceral manipulation as part of your treatment plan.

Book an appointment with Miho who sees patients on select days at Blum Center for Health.

Contact info:

Orthopedic Movement Physical Therapy

info@omptny.com

212-695-2769

Posted on February 7, 2023 February 7, 2023

Constipation Issues? Here are 4 Tips to Get You Going

Do you struggle with constipation? You’re not alone. Constipation is the most common gastrointestinal complaint, resulting in 2.5 million doctor visits annually.

Constipation is frustrating, painful and can be connected to other health issues either as a cause or as a symptom. It can create bloating, irritability, lack of appetite, incontinence and even vomiting.

People often ask, “How often should I poop a week?” Well, that’s a great question!

You should be pooping every day – ideally, twice a day. Yes, seriously. I know, I know, it’s not what your internist said. But, here’s the thing: Going to the bathroom daily is a sign of a healthy digestive tract and critical to your overall health.

Think about it this way: When you poop, your body is eliminating waste. Waste! Do you really want waste sitting in your large intestines for days on end? Absolutely not.

Plus, it’s important to recognize that your ever-important liver flushes out toxins housed in your body, and disposes of them into your intestines. If you’re not pooping daily, then all those toxins get reabsorbed into your body. Not good.

You are considered constipated if you experience:

Straining during a bowel movement
Hard, dry stools or stools like pellets or balls
Incomplete evacuation, meaning you don’t feel like you’ve passed the entire stool
Less than one normal formed, soft stool daily

There are many factors that contribute to constipation. Some are lifestyle, some are medical. Let’s take a look …

Lifestyle causes of constipation and what you can do about it:

Diet! We always start with diet: Eat more fiber. The average person eats less than 15 grams a fiber a day, yet your body requires optimally in the range of 30-40 grams a day, depending on your size. Vegetables, legumes, fruits and whole grains like oats, brown rice and quinoa will help add “bulk” to your stools (with the added benefit of feeding your gut microbiome.) Here’s an easy way to add 5 grams of fiber a day to your diet: Fiber Blend

Drink more fluid – you need fluid to help pass a bowel movement. Aim to drink half your body weight in ounces. If you weigh 150 pounds, for example, you’ll want to drink about 75 ounces of liquid – water, herbal teas, mineral water. Coffee and other caffeinated drinks don’t count. They are dehydrating and may be contributing to your constipation. And remember, as you add more fiber, you must add more liquid!

Move more – Exercise helps constipation by lowering the time it takes food to move through the large intestine. By moving through quickly, water doesn’t get reabsorbed from the stool, thus helping keep it soft and moving easily.

Reduce stress – Stress hormones affect your gut which can lead to constipation. There are lots of ways to reduce stress, such as yoga, meditation, gentle exercise, journaling, Qi Gong and Tai Chi. Try them all and find the best fit for you.

Go to the bathroom when you need to go to the bathroom – chronically suppressing the urge to poop can lead to constipation.

Stop using laxatives – laxatives decrease your colon’s ability to contract and they can actually worsen constipation.

But, sometimes we all need a little help.

Here are 4 simple ways to “get you going”:

Try our constipation recipe – Mix together 1 cup pure applesauce, 1 cup prune juice and 1 cup cooked oat bran – start with 2 tablespoons and add an additional tablespoon until you reach the point of regularity.

Take a probiotic – According to research, probiotics have been shown to increase “gut transit time” by 12.4 hours, increase the number of weekly bowel movements by 1.3, and help soften stools, making them easier to pass. Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus positively affect constipation. Our Probiotics is a blend of 7 strains of Lactobacillus and 4 strains of Bifidobacterium. Score!

Magnesium – One of the first lines of defense I typically recommend is adding magnesium citrate at bedtime. Magnesium citrate not only pulls fluid into the colon making easier to poop, but magnesium helps many sleep better and have less muscle pain. Start with 200mg and titrate up to 500mg nightly. Here’s my Magnesium Go-To.

Vitamin C – High dose Vitamin C (4-6 grams/day) can cause diarrhea, therefore, taking Vitamin C in amounts just below bowel tolerance (gas, bloating or diarrhea) can definitely improve bowel movements and regularity. Start slow with 3000 mg spread throughout the day. Then, every 2-3 days add another 1,000 mg. Once stools loosen up, maintain the dose that works for you. Plus, it’s an important antioxidant! Our Vitamin C fits the bill.

While lifestyle goes a long way in alleviating constipation, the root cause of constipation may be medical. It’s important to address the root cause of constipation. If you make the lifestyle changes but continue to need daily supplement support to poop, it’s time to take a deeper look under the hood.

Medical causes of constipation and what to do about it …

Dybiosis and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth – an imbalance in the gut microbiome or an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine are often implicated in chronic constipation. Besides constipation you might be experiencing gas, bloating, burping and/or reflux.
Food sensitivities – certain foods are known to cause constipation, such as gluten, diary, corn, soy and eggs.
Autoimmune disorders, such as Hashimoto’s and Celiac Disease.
Nutrient deficiencies – often associated with the first three medical causes of constipation listed here, nutrient deficiencies, such as Vitamin C, Magnesium and Fiber can contribute to difficult stooling.
Too many antacids, and too much calcium and iron in supplements – are well-known instigators of constipation.
Toxins, such as lead and mercury, are an oft-overlooked source of constipation.
Neurological conditions, like Parkinson’s Disease or Multiple Sclerosis.
Prescription medications, such as antidepressants or painkillers.

The best thing you can do for yourself is work with a functional medicine practitioner. We take a Whole Body approach, working with you to understand how all your symptoms are connected. We use “food as medicine,” assess your gut microbiome and your detox pathways. We can run the appropriate functional medicine tests based on your symptoms, if warranted. As a certified Functional Medicine Coach I can help lead the way. Click here set up an appointment, or learn more.

Meet Melissa: Melissa Rapoport is the Manager of Health Coaching and Lifestyle Programming at Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, NY. She combines her graduate work in Developmental Psychology with her education in nutrition, health and coaching to create highly individualized programs that result in lifetime change. A contributing author to three international bestselling books, Melissa’s greatest joy is her relationship with her two daughters. To learn more about Melissa’s coaching practice at Blum Center for Health, click here.

Posted on January 18, 2023 January 18, 2023

How Viruses and Infections Trigger Autoimmune Diseases

It’s been my mission to teach people how to balance and strengthen their immune systems since the release of my first book The Immune System Recovery Plan. With the emergence of Long Covid and prevalence of other viruses such as the flu and RSV, it’s more important than ever to keep your immune system in tip top shape to prevent autoimmune diseases.

It’s also essential to have an understanding of the nature of viruses and how they can impact the health of your immune system in the long run. It’s so important that I recently added an entire new chapter to The Immune System Recovery Plan that has just been re-released this month!

Viruses. Sometimes you get sick from them and sometimes you don’t.

Have you ever wondered why?

Some people can clear these viruses out of the body easily after their cold or flu, while in others the virus can persist and run amok causing problems like autoimmune disease. How does that happen?

This issue is important whether or not you have an autoimmune condition because persisting, active viruses can cause ongoing symptoms like fatigue, too. And this is something we are clearly seeing after infection with SARS-Cov2, aka “Long Covid”.

A healthy immune system should be able to respond to the infection and take care of business, clearing out the virus after a self-limited short illness. I think of a robust and well-functioning immune system as the product of good “soil” within your body.

Another name for the inner soil that grows your immune system is your terrain. Your terrain is part of a larger ecosystem that determines the functioning of, well, every system in your body.. (note the gardening metaphors).

If you have good inner terrain, you will “grow” normal functioning immune cells that can clear out the viruses. If you don’t, then they can persist. We do believe there is a genetic predisposition that allows viruses to persist and trigger autoimmunity.

But that’s not all that’s going on. Twin studies have shown us that two people with the same genetics and the same triggering virus, can have two completely different responses, all because of their terrain.

3 Viral Triggers for Autoimmune Diseases

When viruses linger in the body (again, most often because of terrain issues), it is called “chronic persistence.” This leads to an ongoing antiviral immune response, which can trigger autoimmunity in a few ways.

Molecular Mimicry: As the virus continues to spread its “proteins” around your body, there is mistaken identity as these proteins can look like your own tissue. We call this molecular mimicry. This can be because the immune response becomes less specific and it spreads to other tissues. The tissue being attacked determines which autoimmune disease you have. For example, if this happens to the myelin in your brain, then you get MS; if it’s your thyroid, then you get Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves’ disease.
Bystander Effect: Autoimmunity can also happen when the virus infects the cells directly, living inside them and causing direct cell and tissue damage. There are two things that can happen as a result, both of them bad.

The first is that your immune system reacts to the virus living inside the tissue and your body gets damaged in the crossfire. This is called a bystander effect.

The second is that the infection inside your cell causes the cell to develop a different “name tag” on the outside of its cell surface. As a result, the immune system begins to see your own tissue as foreign. If the infection becomes a chronic situation, the immune system will continue attacking your cells because the infection is still inside. An infection can persist anywhere, including but not limited to your joints, brain, and thyroid. It is even possible for an infection to live inside your immune cells themselves, which can cause your immune cells to lose their tolerance for your own tissue. Epstein Barr Virus is a good example of a virus that wreaks havoc via its bystander effect, and by persisting inside your immune cells.
Cell Damage: The final way that infections can exacerbate autoimmune conditions is when your tissues are already damaged from an autoimmune disease and then a virus is drawn to the inflammation and takes up residence in this tissue as a secondary problem. In studies that find viruses at the site of autoimmune damage, it is unclear whether the damage came first or if it was caused by the virus. Why do some people recover from an infection, whereas other peo-ple don’t? There is some evidence that in certain people bad genetics or damage from an environmental toxin or exposure has made their immune systems unable to get rid of a chronic infection. As a result, the infection triggers autoimmunity either right when the person first gets sick or because the infection persists.

I go into more detail on viruses and autoimmunity, including information about the role of specific viruses in specific autoimmune conditions in the re-release of my best-selling book, The Immune System Recovery Plan. I’ve added a whole chapter dedicated to this very topic.

But you can see, no matter the mechanism, to prevent and treat autoimmunity that has been triggered by viruses, you want to make sure your immune terrain is functioning well so that the viruses are cleared out and not allowed to become chronic persisters.

Here is how to improve your terrain to create a robust and healthy immune system to clear out viruses:

Nutrition:

Eat an Anti-inflammatory Diet: whole foods rich in antioxidants and fiber, low in sugar, animal and processed fats; elimination of foods that trigger inflammation including gluten and genetically-modified foods. Overall, eat less food from animals and more from plants. Remember to focus on eating more of the GOOD foods, not just on eliminating the bad.

Supplements:

I’ve put together my favorite supplements that include vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that your immune system needs for optimal well being.

Balanced Hormones:

1. Make sure your stress system and adrenals are balanced and resilient. To do this, you must focus on your lifestyle, which includes sleep, exercise, daily relaxation, reducing toxins in your food and environment, and eating nourishing food. The good news? These are things all of which you have control over!
2. Sex hormones: No matter where you are in your life, we all have hormones that we need to help our bones, muscles, life force and immune system. As we age, sex hormone levels are tied into stress.

Join our meditation classes and learn how to destress, relax and as a result improve the functioning of your immune system and hormones.

Healthy Gut:

1. Daily goal should be to support your Intestinal ecosystem. A “good gut” means that you have adequate beneficial bacteria, good barrier function (no leaky gut), and no “weeds” in the inner garden.
2. Digestion: a healthy gut also has good stomach acid, bile acids, and pancreatic enzymes so that you are digesting and absorbing all the nutrients from the food you eat.

Sometimes, the gut microbiome just needs a good “reboot” to clean out the bad bacteria and yeast that can grow as a result of stress, illness, antibiotics or other medication, poor food choices, to name a few. Our Gut Cleanse Box was designed to help you easily treat your microbiome which can improve digestive symptoms, reduce inflammation, reduce food sensitivities, improve memory and mood, and even help you reach your ideal weight. The packets are filled with herbal antibiotics (pills) that clean out the bad bacteria and yeast. If you would like to be guided by a wellness coach while you do your gut cleanse, check out our HealMyGut Programs.

Well Functioning Liver:

1. Daily goal should be to reduce your toxin exposure and eat foods that support your liver’s detox system so that you can maintain a low toxin load in your body. Toxins damage the immune system. It’s often the total amount of all toxins that make you sick, not just one in particular.
2. Clean up your environment and make sure your “biotransformation pathways” through your liver are working well
3. This will also support your Estrogen detox pathways, something that everyone needs to pay attention to, because toxic estrogens can cause damage in the body.

It’s important to detox your liver safely and effectively. I’ve put together a Detox Repair Kit that will renew your body and reset your system by eliminating your toxic load.

Remember, you can’t avoid viruses! They are everywhere. Instead we work on creating resilience in the immune system so that the viruses don’t become chronic. To do this, we focus on the terrain of the immune system, which leads to the 4-step Immune System Recovery Plan, the focus of my first book on autoimmunity being re-released this month. Grab your copy here.

References:

Vieira et al. Diet, microbiotia, and autoimmune diseases. Lupus 2014 23: 518

Getts, D, et al. Virus, infection, antiviral immunity, and autoimmunity. Immunol Rev. 2013 September; 224 (1): 197-209.

Vanderlugt, C, and Miller, S. Epitope spreading in immune-mediated diseases: implications for immunotherapy. Nature Reviews Immunology 2, 85–95 (1 February 2002)

Posted on December 7, 2022 December 13, 2022

Is Mold Making You Sick?

Are you struggling with non-specific vague symptoms that do not fit a known pattern for diagnosis? Have you been to a slew of specialist physicians and are still left without answers? Have you ever lived or worked in a place with water damage? Have you noticed your symptoms change or improve if you’re away from your primary home for an extended period of time?

If this resonates with you it’s time to consider mold as the root cause of your illness.

Here’s why: Mold is dangerous to your health. Hard stop.

Add to that, it is often overlooked as a source of illness since most conventional doctors are not trained in identifying it.

But, don’t worry! It has become my mission to uncover and treat mold illnesses. My private practice is filled with people suffering from mold exposure, many of which were misdiagnosed or told there was nothing wrong and had they considered a psychiatrist.

Here are some of the most frequent questions I hear:

What is Mold, Mold Allergies, and Mycotoxins?

Mold is a type of fungus that loves to grow in moist, damp, and dark environments.

We are constantly exposed to mold in our outdoor and even indoor environments. Some people are more sensitive to such mold spores and develop mold allergies. You may recognize these symptoms to be watery/itchy eyes, sneezing, and or runny nose. Doctors can diagnose mold allergies through blood testing and such allergies are treated with antihistamine medications. Finally, some molds produce mycotoxins, compounds that are invisible and can be inhaled or absorbed through your skin. These are the toxins that may cause mold illness if you are susceptible.

How do you know if you have been exposed to or are currently exposed to mold?

Part of my approach is taking a thorough environmental history during our first visit together. I delve into the history of water damage, musty smells, visible mold in your current and past homes. In general, most people find themselves with mold in their homes if the initial water damage is not remediated properly, if there’s a hidden leak behind a wall, or if there is moisture intrusion in the house that’s not obvious, just to name a few scenarios.

Why are mold toxins difficult for the body to process?

Your liver helps process mycotoxins through bile and ultimately they are removed in the stool. In some, this process is not successful and leads to recirculation of the mycotoxin. So your immune system may have successfully killed the actual mold; however, the mycotoxins that the mold secreted can persist in your body.

Many people are exposed to toxic mold; however, not all become sick. Why? About 25% of people are genetically handicapped to deal with these toxins. Even if you’re not one of the 25%, anyone’s detox system can become overwhelmed if exposed to high quantities of toxins over a long time. This helps explain why some members of your household can become severely ill and others are fine while being exposed to the same mold environment. The molds that produce the most dangerous mycotoxins include Stachybotrys, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Alternaria, and Walemia.

Are you suffering from mold toxicity?

Mold is always a part of my differential diagnosis in anyone who presents with a myriad of symptoms in multiple organ systems. At the Blum Center, our patients complete a Medical Symptom Questionnaire and when their score is more than 80, I often suspect mold.

Some of the more specific symptoms include electrical sensations in the body, areas of numbness/tingling that leave neurologists perplexed, unusual tics/muscle spasms, seizure-like events, and dizziness. These symptoms are often paired with fatigue, brain fog, intense anxiety/depression, chronic sinus congestion/recurrent infections, and shortness of breath.

How do mold mycotoxins cause such chronic complex presentations?

The following explanation is based on the ground breathing work of Dr. Shoemaker who synthesized how mold toxins impair your body’s biochemistry and thus came up with The Biotoxin Pathway.

Mold toxins can easily dissolve in water and fat allowing them to penetrate various tissues.

Mycotoxin enters your body through inhalation or food (this is less common cause of systemic illness), or are made in your body (i.e. think the sinuses or your gut that has been colonized with mold).
Toxin enters your fat cell and triggers a cascade of events inside the cell leading to cytokine production. Cytokines send signals to activate the immune system causing inflammation. If you are one of the genetically fortunate, the immune system binds the toxins and prevents this cascade of events; however, in 25% of the population there is no process to turn off this activation so the inflammation persists.
Cytokines affect your brain chemistry, endocrine/immune systems, thus explaining why patients present with such a variety of symptoms that transverse multiple organ systems. This can lead to inadequate production of adrenal, sex, and thyroid hormones. Overall this will also affect your pain pathways (think decrease in endorphins), sleep (think less melatonin), and also cause increased intestinal permeability (think leaky gut).

If mold is suspected, how do we evaluate it?

Although there are some serum blood markers that give us an idea if you are suffering from mold illness, they are non diagnostic. The best test we have at this time is to assess urine mycotoxins. There are several functional medicine labs on the market offering such testing including RealTime Labs and Great Plains Laboratory.

As part of the evaluation, It is also important to determine where the mold exposure is coming from (i.e. home, work, or your car), particularly if it’s ongoing. To do this, we recommend you partner with an environmental indoor expert who is trained in how to properly assess the home’s health and perform accurate mold testing and then guide you in remediation (if necessary).

You may prefer to try your own home assessment. You can order testing through Mycometrics the ERMI test (Environmental Relative Moldiness index). You collect dust from your home which is tested for mold.

How is mold toxicity treated?

The journey is often complex with many detours. Two people exposed to the same mycotoxin may present with completely different symptomatology. Treatment progress/resolution often depends on your terrain (what else are you battling with, i.e. your gut health, tick borne infections, viruses, other toxins-i.e. heavy metals) and how sensitive you may be to treatment.

My approach is influenced by Dr. Neil Nathan’s work, an expert in mold treatment. What does that mean? We assess your gut microbiome, look for exposure in your home (and bring in a home expert if needed), support your detox pathways (after all, we have to get the mycotoxins out of your body), use appropriate botanicals and/or pharmaceuticals for treatment and mold decolonization.

In the meantime, what can you do to help your body with mycotoxins starting today?

Increase foods that support your liver’s detox pathways such as cruciferous vegetables (think broccoli/kale).
Increase antioxidants, think eating colorful fruits and vegetables that are rich in quercetin/polyphenols (i.e. pomegranates, berries, yellow peppers, green tea).
Spice up your food with turmeric and curry powder.
Move more! Sweating is one of your body’s key daily detox methods. Just remember to shower after exercising so the toxins do not get reabsorbed through your skin.

If you’re interested in learning more about mold illness, testing, and treatment please come see me at Blum Center! For more information visit www.blumcenterforhealth.com or call 914.652.7800.