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Welcome to Lesson 1 in the Series Mastering Gut Health

The Gut is the Gateway to Solving Chronic Health Conditions. This is

one of my favorite topics, because when you learn to heal your

gastrointestinal system, you not only have the ability to treat, but to

manage and even reverse many of the chronic conditions, and reasons

why so many patients go to the doctor in the first place.

These are some of the common reasons why patients Seek my help:

Fatigue- is a big one and can have many causes

Stomach problems – ranging from gas & bloating to constipation or

diarrhea

Cough & Congestion

Hormone Imbalances

High Blood Pressure

Diabetes and elevated cholesterol

Sadness and irritability

and of course chronic pain

All these might seem disconnected, separate systems but we when we

go to the doctor we want them to figure out the cause of our

symptoms. As a functional Nutritionist, you will learn how to figure out

the root cause of the symptoms people are coming to you for, most of

which, if left unchecked, lead to chronic disease.

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Let’s take a look at the systems of the body we all learned about them

in biology class :

Circulatory System

Digestive System

Nervous System and so forth

We learned about them as though they are separate systems.

Allopathic doctors treat them as separate. But in functional medicine,

we learn to look at the body as a whole. One system may affect another

and we learn about the web-like connections.

The Gastrointestinal System and microbiome, is by far the most

important, because it can affect the entire body and every system

because it connects all the systems together. We thus, have the ability

to heal the entire body, by addressing the Gastrointestinal System.

So instead of being focused on separate systems or disease, we need

to be more focused on the root causes or triggers.

So it’s important to understand that the GI system is at the core of so

many symptoms and conditions and the reason why people come to us

for help.

So let’s explore this even further. How can we help our bodies? Well

first we have to understand how we fail our bodies. How we fail

specifically the GI system. So we need to recognize that when we eat

the wrong foods, processed foods or fast foods, so popular in today’s

culture, that are filled with ingredients that may be damaging to out GI

system, we are harming ourselves.

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Things like Hydrogenated Oils, Trans fats, foods that have been

manipulated by man and not in their whole form, processed or

preserved foods, sugar, too much salt, genetically modified food. These

foods are perceived by our system as an enemy, and thus turn on

inflammation leading to leaky gut and we set up a chain reaction that

might cause food allergies or food intolerances or even trigger

autoimmunity in our bodies. Or sometimes we eat too much, which can

put a burden on our digestive and eliminatory systems. Every system

has limits, and we need to learn how to treat it wonderfully, so it can in

turn treat us wonderfully, and can help our bodies heal and perform

better. The other thing we might do wrong is eat too fast. Again, we

have to look at our machinery, our body as a whole and figure out the

best way to optimize it so we can live long healthy lives.

So in order to achieve optimal health, we must recognize that a healthy

gastrointestinal system is the key.

Here are four pillars of Health that I want you to think about. 4 pillars

that define the gastrointestinal system:

Digestion, Elimination, Microflora Balance, Gut barrier integrity

We’re going to focus on the importance of these four pillars today.

Most of us are familiar with digestion and elimination, and we will

study that a litter further in a minute. But you might not remember

that there are many places where good bacteria and good germs live in

our bodies, and that they are of utmost importance in helping us

function properly. So we need to learn how to keep them happy and

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healthy, and in the right balance, to ensure a properly functioning GI

system.

You must also understand Gut barrier integrity, the lining of our whole

GI system, is very important to the entire function of the body. Just as

the skin on the outside of our body protects us, the skin that lines

everything from the mouth too our rectum is also very important in

terms of defending us.

Actually there’s a statistic that says that in one day, your GI lining

defends itself as much as your skin, on the outside does, for an entire

lifetime.

It is a proven fact that there are more bacteria in our bodies than cells,

and that the bacteria can change our very DNA. So having the proper

balance of microflora and healthy gut & brain barriers are pivotal in

keeping us healthy.

So how do we do this? Well you have to look at your genetics first. If

you have a family history of a genetic disease, you must understand,

you have the power to modify your diet and lifestyle, so that your

genes do not express into a disease, by maintaining those 4 pillars of GI

health. Just because you have a family history of let’s say Diabetes,

doesn’t mean your genes will express into that disease, if you exercise

and eat properly. Do you understand what I’m saying here? It’s all

about diet & lifestyle!

So how can you maintain those 4 pillars of health? Let’s look at it in

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more detail.

There’s a system that we use in Functional Medicine called the 4 R’s.

Now we’ve actually expanded that to the 5 R’s, which must be

implemented in a specific order. They are: Remove, Replace, Re-

inoculate, Repair, Rebalance.

So the first R in PHASE 1 is REMOVE – remove those things that can be

harmful to our system. Like stress, pathogens, food sensitivities and

anything harmful.

Remove Stress – Stress reduction is a very important step in healing.

Balancing the Adrenal Hormones will be paramount if fatigue or sleep

problems are an issue. Test the adrenal hormones with Diagnos Tech’s

ASI Salivary test. It measures cortisol at 4 distinct times of the day, plus

DHEA the mother hormone of the adrenals. If cortisol is high in the

evening it will cause insomnia. If it is low in the morning the person will

have severe fatigue even after sleep. If a person isn’t sleeping they

can’t heal. You can download the “Done-For-You Adrenal Protocols for

the different phases of adrenal Fatigue.

Remove Pathogens – bacteria, yeast, parasites. If gas, bloating,

constipation or diarrhea are an issue or they crave sweets or carbs I

recommend the laboratory test by Doctor’s Data called the

Comprehensive Stool Analysis (CSA) or CSAP3. The P3 is for parasites.

Remove Food Sensitivities – If they complain of multiple symptoms

with gas, bloating, constipation or loose stool. I recommend the lab

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Cyrex Array 10 Multiple Food Reactivity Screen.

Remove Drugs, GMO foods, xenobiotics, sugar, artificial sweeteners,

triggers and inflammation. I’ll explain what triggers are in a minute.

PHASE 2 REPLACE – replace things we might have lost to aid in

digestion like:

Digestive enzymes

Hydrochloric Acid

Bile Acids

Botanicals –to aid digestion & elimination

PHASE 3 - REINOCULATE – a fancy word for replacing those good

bacteria, known as probiotics. Acidolophillis, Bifidophillis,

Saccharomyces Boulardi, are all very important for GI health. Diversity

is the key. Get a good wide spectrum probiotic. Replace fiber which is

a pre-biotic, meaning it feeds the probiotics and keeps the bowel

moisturized and moving. Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchee,

yogurt, kefir and fermented vegetables all help to establish good

colonies of friendly commensal bacteria. These are all pivotal for

maintaining a healthy gut, microbiome, and immune system.

PHASE 4 - REPAIR – we need to repair the gut barrier. When we eat

too much sugar or gluten containing foods, or take antibiotics, or have

chronic stress, these things can damage our gut lining causing the tight

junctions to open, leading to gut permeability, otherwise known as

Leaky gut. Will get to that later down the line.

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But in order to heal the gut lining, we need certain nutrients, vitamins,

minerals and amino acids, in order to get better. We need to improve

the immune system, reduce inflammation and take specific mucosal

healing agents like L-glutamine, aloe, deglycyrrhizinated licorice root.

PHASE 5 The 5th R is - REBALANCE –Bring balance into our lives

- Lifestyle changes – clean up the diet to restore balance

- Get adequate sleep to heal – turn off TV, computers, cell phones etc.

to get rid of the white lights that interfere with sleep. Read instead to

tire your eyes. Your body needs to rest to heal.

- Mindful eating – slow down, chew your food, don’t eat in front of the

TV or Computer.

-Balance Brain and Nervous System: Heart Math, Heart rate variability,

Acupuncture, Yoga, Tai Chi, prayer and meditation to reduce stress.

So let’s look at how we must process food - You are not only what you

eat, but what you digest.

In essence you are your microbiome. Digestion is a complicated

process. You start by chewing your food where salivary amylase

enzymes break down starches, the food is then sent to the stomach

where acid that is added.

Then the food travels to the small intestine where the proper digestive

enzymes are released in order to break down and process the food

even further.

At this point the food is inspected before entering the blood stream.

Here is where it gets tricky

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Now these pink cells you see here with the little villi or little hairs,

these are the enterocytes, (intestinal absorptive cells) they’re critical

for your health.

So inspection takes place at the barrier or G.I lining.

When it’s ready food gets a VIP pass and travels thru the enterocyte

and turns into a different shape. Let’s just say it’s a heart shape for this

illustration. Now that heart has traveled through the barrier and into

the blood stream.

Can you see all those green circles with + signs, this is our symbol for

the immune system. Well 70% of your immune system lays right there

in your gut lining, the isles of Langerhans, which is part of our lymphatic

system known as the GULT (Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue). It’s there

to be able to detect intruders that might make it through the small

intestine lining.

So if only hearts make it through, that immune system is very happy. It

tells us hearts are good for us. We know you went through the right

security system and are OK to travel through the rest of the body.

Now we know the systems are there to help us for protection,

but not all systems are fool proof.

We lose barrier integrity when we take things like antibiotics, bad

foods, bad drinks, things that have germs on them, or stress can

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damage the G.I. lining.

So in this example, were losing barrier integrity, notice how the

probiotic at the top of the enterocyte is a little patchy, and the tight

junctions are open, allowing pathogens and undigested proteins to

enter our blood stream. Our immune system has been compromised

here. This is called Leaky Gut, and can cause multiple food reactions. So

here we’ve lost the integrity of the barrier function.

That star you saw move from the top to the bottom, it’s our symbol

for pathogens, which can pass through the barrier of the small

intestine, enter the blood stream and circulate thru the entire body.

This causes the immune system to become activated, agitated and

inflamed. So the immune system is in defense mode here.

So when we look at it in a more complex diagram here, all the things at

the top can pass through the gaps. This is called Increased Intestinal

Permeability or Leaky Gut. Now because the above things can leak

through and potentially cause the immune system to become

overwhelmed, it can become weak, and distracted, and thus, tag

certain foods as foreign invaders, even though they aren’t really

harmful at the beginning of the process. So the food has been tagged

as a food allergy, sensitivity, or intolerance. As this process continues, it

can cause inflammation that can potentially lead to triggering an

autoimmune disease, because the immune system is overwhelmed.

So look at what else happens when all this commotion is going on at

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the level of the G.I. lining. It can affect the total health of the body.

These alarm signals are traveling throughout the blood circulatory

system potentially affecting other systems and organs of the body by

creating alarm signals everywhere, calling in the immune troops to fight

the enemy.

If you can stop the inflammation down at the core of your G.I. system,

the barrier, you have the ability to fix all chronic inflammatory

diseases.

You can stop them dead in their tracks! These are all related to the core

concept of how inflammation triggers: cancer, cardiovascular disease,

Alzheimer’s, diabetes, arthritis, autoimmune diseases, neurological

diseases and pulmonary diseases, all of these diseases have a root in

inflammation and a root in your gut.

Let’s look at a popular concept that makes a lot of sense to my

patients. Hopefully, it will make sense for you too. Let’s suppose you

were given this beautiful Lamborghini. Wouldn’t you want to take good

care of it? Keep it well tuned with the proper fuel?

I bet you would make sure it got the exact fuel it needed so it could

perform at its best. You likely wouldn’t go to the gas station and fill it

with cheap gas.

You probably wouldn’t fill it with any old fuel like water either.

Putting water down the fuel tank would be very harmful. It’s the same

analogy for food and certain liquids.

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Common foods, like wheat or dairy can be the wrong fuel for your

body. Just because they are healthy in general, if they get tagged by the

immune system, they become a toxin, adding to inflammation and

burdening your system.

Let’s look at that a little further. You probably know someone, or even

yourself, who has felt better when removing a certain food from the

diet.

Wheat and dairy are common ones that cause problems. When we

remove those allergenic foods, we might notice a huge improvement in

how we feel. Not just in our digestive system, but maybe a reduction in

brain fog, or headaches, or maybe your skin looks a lot better, you’re

breathing better, or you have less gas and bloating.

So we recognize that by taking the foods that cause problems or

triggers out of our diet, it can make a huge difference in how we feel.

So when a certain food gets tagged by the immune system, it

becomes an enemy.

This is known as an adverse reaction to the food. Even though you

might like the food, your body doesn’t, and these reactions are your

bodies cry for help.

These can be an allergic reaction, a sensitivity or intolerance to that

food.

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These reactions are just like the military, if you think about it. They’re

called upon to fight the enemy. There are different types of military

teams that handle different kinds of enemies. So this is an analogy to

the different food reactions.

Now one of the most common ones you might know about, one of the

most severe, is related to peanuts. You might know a child who has

had an extreme reaction.

This is an anaphylactic Reaction

Now most of us don’t have these extreme reactions. What we have, is

more common, called non-anaphylactic food reactions. So whether

they’re an allergy- IgE, or sensitivity / intolerance- IgG, which are

usually delayed reactions, these are more insidious and can cause

autoimmune disease because they trigger inflammation anywhere in

the body turning on that gene to express into a full-blown autoimmune

disease if not kept in check.

Non- anaphylactic food reactions make up 95% of food reactions. Now

these can be trickier because they can be delayed hours, or up to 4 days

later. So it’s hard to recognize the connection. Not like an extreme

reaction like your lips swelling or your throat closing, these symptoms

can be very vague. Vague to you until you can verify the connection.

They can be obvious like hives, or eczema or difficult breathing. But

they can be as vague as headaches or maybe you feel more tired or

have brain fog.

These symptoms are too many to fit on this one page. But you can see

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symptoms like bloating, palpitations, sinusitis, acne, depression, dark

circles under the eyes, to name a few. All these and more can be linked

to an adverse reaction to food and your inflamed GI system.

So in order to figure out if you have one of these food triggers, it takes

a little time. So your goal is to reduce those triggers. Reduce the

incoming garbage and incoming inflammation.

At this point you might want to do some testing and get some

support.

There are different allergy tests available. Skin prick, intradermal or

serum testing or if there is a lot of GI distress, with gas and bloating no

matter what you eat, then stool testing may be a good place to start. Or

you might try an elimination diet. More about that down the line.

Note: The Skin Prick or intra-dermal testing methods are for IgE,

immediate reactions. The traditional allergist uses these methods.

Unfortunately, they miss the delayed IgG Mucosal reactions and the IgA

circulatory reactions.

Cyrex Labs takes it to a whole new level. By addressing IgG & IgA

immune reactions to pure food proteins and the chemicals in foods that

potentially cause disorders that are already affecting over 53 million

Americans.

Autoimmune diseases are on the rise and food may be partially

responsible. They affect multiple areas if the body: brain, thyroid, liver,

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heart, bone, pancreas, gut, joint, testis, ovaries & skin.

Take for instance gluten sensitivity, it can be at he the core of anemia,

celiac disease, diabetes, thyroid disease, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, gut

infections & inflammation, which can lead to Leaky Gut, skin issues

like eczema, it can affect the brain causing psychological issues, mood

disorders and neuro-inflammation.

Autoimmune diseases are the third most common category of disease

in the United States, after Cancer and Heart disease. Autoimmune

diseases have not been this prevalent before. They are 3 times more

common now than they were a few decades ago.

This is due to the fact that more people are getting autoimmune

diseases than ever before. And the numbers keep rising.

One in 6 Americans will develop an autoimmune disease and one in 4

women will develop an autoimmune disease.

This pandemic of Autoimmune disorders includes:

*Rheumatoid Arthritis – affecting the joints

*Hashimoto’s – affecting the thyroid

*Multiple Sclerosis - affecting the entire body

*Crohn’s disease - affecting the gut

*Lupus – affecting the entire body

*Type 1 Diabetes mellitus - affecting the pancreas

So What Causes Autoimmune –Genetics play a small role. The majority,

around 70%, is due to environmental triggers, exposure to chemicals,

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including those in food and food antigens, gut infections, dysbiosis (well

get to that in a minute), stress and Leaky Gut are the main causes of

autoimmune disorders.

What is the link between chemicals in food and autoimmune

disorders?

Most food we consume contains chemicals, even when labeled

organic. Food production uses chemicals as preservatives, dyes,

flavorings, colorings, and for texturing. Food contacts materials such as

packaging materials, conveyor belts and tubing materials at factories

and plants. Even the tubes of expresso machines through which the

coffee passes, all leach chemicals into the food and drinks we consume.

Even the plastic lid covering your coffee is toxic.

Take a food, wheat for example, which the immune system recognized

as a “friendly protein,” early in a person’s life, when they first ate

wheat, there by developing a tolerance.

Oral tolerance is the immune system not reacting to the oral ingestion

of a food. So why now, suddenly, does this person, as well as almost

25% of the population, have signs & symptoms of gluten intolerance,

found in bread, pasta and many other foods?

Because attached to the wheat there is a new chemical: it could be a

pesticide, fungicide or an insecticide, each having a potential to form a

new antigen after being attached to the wheat. Also, due to

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hybridization, new protein peptides have been introduced into wheat,

that was not previously there.

For these reasons, the immune system won’t recognize this wheat as

“friendly” when these chemicals are attached to it. Instead, it detects

the new antigens, made up of wheat & chemicals, and tags the ingested

wheat to mount an immune attack.

Now, the molecular make up of these food antigens sometimes

resembles self- tissue, like the thyroid. The body’s immune system

now begins to attack the self-tissue antigens, launching an autoimmune

reaction, which can potentially develop into an autoimmune disease

unless preventative measures are taken.

Wheat protein peptides mimic thyroid self-tissue antigens. This is why

there has been an alarming rise in Hashimoto’s Autoimmune

Thyroiditis, which usually does not require medicine to correct. Instead

the gut must be addressed and wheat or gluten removed from the diet,

because the assault on the gut caused GI inflammation and Gut

Permeability, which then led to the misguided immune system attack.

Researchers are identifying the pathogenic roles of many food

antigens, such as wheat, dairy, lectins, and chemicals. By being aware

of the potential damage some food antigens can cause, expertly

assessing them in patients, and applying tailored dietary protocols,

practitioners can realize better clinical outcomes in their patients.

Health practitioners are often faced with patients who have history of

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unexplained non-specific, chronic symptoms and complaints, such as

seasonal allergies, chronic fatigue, difficulty gaining weight, food

intolerances or multiple sensitivities, IBS, Migraines, asthma, difficulty

losing weight, inflammatory bowels disease, muscle and joint aches

and pains, or arthritis.

Typically, these patients have previously sought the help of other

physicians, who have run the usual routine tests with normal findings,

and tried various symptomatic treatment modalities, all to no avail.

The cause of these symptoms may be an immune reaction to food

components, or to the chemical additives in food, or to chemicals

bound to the food antigens.

This begs the question: how many patients have been tested for food

allergies and the lab reported false positives or false negatives?

Cyrex Array 10 Tests for what may be triggers of the 80 known

autoimmune diseases and associated disorders.

Thru extensive research, we now know that there is an association

between food immune reactivity of 24 major autoimmune disorders

like: Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Celiac Disease, Non-Celiac

Gluten Sensitivity, Dermatitis Herpetiformis, Gluten Ataxia, Stiff Person

Syndrome, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis,

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Scleroderma, Addison’s Disease,

Autoimmune Thyroiditis, Type 1 Diabetes, Bechet’s Disease,

Autoimmune Myocarditis, Bone Autoimmunity, Liver Autoimmunity,

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Alopecia, Uveitis, Multiple Sclerosis, Neuromyelitis Optica, Peripheral

Neuropathy, and Epilepsy.

With chronic diseases on the rise, appropriate testing is imperative to

prevent years of suffering in patients who may unknowingly be in the

process of developing autoimmunity. Unless these 10 points are

applied in the lab testing, reliability will be lost and years of suffering

will continue.

Testing both raw & cooked forms of common foods

Testing Cross-Reactive Pan-Antigen Isolates

Testing Multiple Food Protein Interactions

Testing Large Gum Molecules

Testing Binding Isolates

Testing Tissue-Bound Artificial Colors

Testing Amplified Antigenic Proteins & Peptides

Testing Oleosins

Testing Meat Glue

Dual Antibody Detection System

Cyrex Array 10 can be used to:

- Evaluate reactions to foods, raw and/or modified, food enzymes,

lectins, and artificial food additives, including meat glue, colorings and

gums.

- It can be helpful for early detection of dietary-related triggers of

autoimmunity.

- And It can help monitor the effectiveness of customized dietary

protocols in your patients.

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The Array 10 is recommended for patients who:

- Want a wellness strategy for a vibrant health

- Who present with unexplained symptoms whether gastrointestinal,

neurological, dermatological or behavioral in nature.

- And those who are suspect of having increased intestinal

permeability, which is the gateway for environmentally-induced

autoimmune disorders.

This is a partial sample of the Test Results for The Array 10 Food

Immune Reactivity Screen. Note: Equivocal & Out of Range are

interpreted as positive in Functional Nutrition.

So here let’s look at the positive reactions: goat milk, yogurt, and

wheat are positive. So we know right away this person has a sensitivity

to dairy and wheat, but can eat soft or hard cheese because there is no

reaction to these. If they continue to eat dairy or wheat it can lead to

inflammation, leaky gut and autoimmune disease.

At this point we might recommend the Array 3 Wheat/Gluten

Proteome Reactivity & Autoimmunity test to bring light to just how

sensitive this person might be to wheat & gluten, so they don’t

continue to eat it. Here they have 7 out of range positive reactions. This

person should definitely avoid wheat & gluten at all costs.

Now we need to know if there are any Gluten Associated Cross

Reactive foods and food sensitivities, the Array 4, because if eaten,

they can cause autoimmune issues.

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Here they have positives to casein, whey protein, oats, coffee, teff, egg

and corn.

So if they eat wheat or gluten with any of these foods it might trigger an autoimmune attack on any area of the body.

If a person has severe symptoms such as diarrhea, they need to be checked for celiac disease, because associated antibodies can affect the thyroid leading to autoimmune thyroid, they can affect the pancreas leading to Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, they can affect the stomach leading to Leaky Gut and malabsorption, they can trigger lupus, rheumatoid Arthritis, Scleroderma, sjogrens, autoimmune liver disease, collagen issues, autoimmune bone issues, they can effect brain tissue, neurons, myelin and blood vessels. This is serious stuff that creates chronic conditions. So food reactions to wheat and gluten cause: - GI damage, leaky gut, leading to development of multiple additional allergies and autoimmune diseases. - They cause malabsorption of vitamins and other nutrients, causing immune deficiency and inability to heal and repair. - They can alter gut bacteria (microbiome), and lead to increased risk of opportunistic infections like yeast, bacteria, parasites, and ultimately immune system dysregulation. Let’s recap a little – Leaky Gut Progression – In other words Triggers for leaky gut are: stress, toxins, undigested food particles, drugs, pathogens, and organ malfunction. These all cause GI inflammation, which opens up the tight junctions in the small intestine, where you absorb your food, allowing any of these to enter the blood stream, causing food intolerances and immune system issues, and finally, Autoimmune conditions.

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So here you can see when the tight junctions are opened from triggers, it leads to leaky gut, food intolerances, immune abnormalities and autoimmune conditions

Now these circulating immune complexes can breach the blood brain barrier, cause inflammation, autoimmunity, cause malabsorption and nutrient deficiency. These circulating immune complexes not only breach the gut barrier, but can breach the blood brain barrier, causing neuroautoimmunity (more on that in a minute) They can cause Gut Symptoms like: constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, gas, bloating, burping. Or Skin Symptoms: like itchy skin, rashes, eczema, rosacea, acne, hives, psoriasis, or Brain Symptoms line: brain fog, chronic headaches, depression, anxiety, ADHD, Or, when the gut and brain are involved, you can have Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorders. Research studies have revealed that many disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, OCD, eating disorders, and autism spectrum disorders often have dietary and biological causes which contribute to neuropsychiatric symptoms. Patients have better outcomes when these causes are successfully addressed and treated through a combination of specialized testing like the OAT (Organic Acid Testing) from Great Plains Labs and with dietary nutritional therapies. The Organic Acids Test (OAT) offers a comprehensive metabolic snapshot of a patient’s overall health with

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over 70 markers. It provides an accurate evaluation of intestinal yeast and bacteria. Abnormally high levels of these microorganisms can cause or worsen behavior disorders, hyperactivity, movement disorders, fatigue and immune function. Many people with chronic illnesses and neurological disorders often excrete several abnormal organic acids in their urine. The cause of these high levels could include oral antibiotic use, high sugar diets, immune deficiencies, acquired infections, as well as genetic factors. The OAT also includes markers for vitamin and mineral levels, oxidative stress, neurotransmitter levels, and is the only Organic Acids Test to include markers for oxalates, which are highly correlated with many chronic illnesses. If abnormalities are detected using the OAT, treatments can include supplements, such as vitamins and antioxidants, or dietary modification. Upon treatment, patients and practitioners have reported significant improvement such as decreased fatigue, regular bowel function, increased energy and alertness, increased concentration, improved verbal skills, less hyperactivity, and decreased abdominal pain. The OAT is strongly recommended as the initial screening test.

The Microbial Organic Acids Test (MOAT) is ideal for follow-up to the OAT and is often recommended by practitioners looking for a specific abnormality, to monitor certain microbial imbalances, or to assess treatment efficacy.

So what can we do? Test NOT guess – eliminate suspicious foods for 2-

4 weeks, or after testing eliminate positive foods for 6 months,

equivocal for 3 months. After the elimination phase and allergy

elimination diet, (will get to in a minute), you can do a food challenge.

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Provoke a reaction with a challenge phase. Eat 1 food 3 times a day for

3 days and see if you still react by having symptoms. If yes it’s a fixed

allergy and this food must be avoided indefinitely. If no reaction,

congratulations, you have cleared the food sensitivity.

It is best to eliminate then provoke by food groups. These are the top

11 allergenic foods: Eggs, dairy, nuts, shellfish, soy, wheat/gluten, corn,

beef, tomatoes, citrus, pork and the list goes on.

It’s helpful to do an Allergy Free Modified Elimination Diet and

Systemic Detox to clear the liver and body of toxins and to aid the

immune system in healing.

Here are 7 Benefits to doing a Food Elimination Diet: It helps to heal

Leaky Gut Syndrome, improves auto-immune conditions, reduces

gastrointestinal symptoms, improves skin irritations, reduces migraine

headaches, helps in discovering your food intolerances, prevents and

improves learning disorders.

Systemic Detoxification is a very important step, and should not be

overlooked because, just like we clean out our house filter or car filters,

we must periodically clean out our body filters. Our body is a pretty

remarkable machine. Unfortunately the world is extremely toxic and

our body needs periodical cleansing. These are just some of the sources

of toxic exposure. I just explained to you about maldigestion, Leaky Gut

and antigen exposure, but chronic stress plays a huge role in creating

free radicals and toxins that affect the whole body negatively. But there

are other sources that create a toxic burden on our body: sugar toxicity,

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free radicals, dysbiosis (bad gut bugs), alcohol, you shouldn’t drink

during detoxification. You can’t imagine how many people ask me if

they can have a glass of wine or one drink during their detox, because

they use alcohol to psychologically de-stress, when actually it is adding

to their stress load on the physical body. Then there is pollution,

building materials and furnishings out gas, paint solvents,

formaldehyde, cigarette (cadmium a toxic heavy metal is found in

cigarettes). There are food chemicals, colors, additives and

contaminants, as well as herbicides, the big one glyphosphates,

pesticides and fungicides on our food. Then, in our commonly used

household cleaners have solvents and who knows what else. We get

toxic exposure through radiation, TV, computers and cell phones. There

is petrochemical exposure from traffic fumes. Our water is

contaminated with chlorine and fluorine to name a few. Then there is

toxic heavy metal build-up. These are toxic minerals Lead, Cadmium,

Mercury, Arsenic, and Aluminum.

Toxin Exposure is Everywhere. Thanks to modern chemistry, eggs don’t

stick to the pan, underarms are fresh all day, SUVs accelerate to 60 mph

in seconds, our furniture is flame resistant, we smell good, and we have

thousands of choices of quick-to-prepare processed foods. But such

convenience has a price: chemicals that suffuse modern life—from

well-known toxins to newer compounds with unknown effects—are

building up in our bodies and sometimes stay there for years.

Toxins Zap Our Energy. This is why it is so important to undertake a

detoxification program and to live a less-toxic lifestyle.

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Here is a summary of four key approaches upon which a good detox

program should be based:

- Dietary support of the body’s detox processes, with an emphasis on

whole foods and elimination of known dietary triggers.

- Lifestyle practices that support detox.

- Elimination of toxins through stimulation of excretory organs with the

aid of homeopathic remedies to support drainage of liver, kidneys and

lymphatics.

- Nutritional Support of liver detox pathways

- Eat a healthy, cleansing diet for four weeks

These are the 6 basic elements that form the framework of the Detox

360°™ Program that I recommend:

Education: You will be reading articles on detoxification, homeopathy

and homeopathic cleansing, emotional detoxification, better beverages,

sleep, toxicity, food, healthy fats, antioxidants, and healthy digestion.

Reduce exposure: The goal of this step is to lower the toxic load by

choosing organic foods, becoming aware of toxic exposures, and

determining your personal toxic load.

Clean Diet: The diet is the most important part of the program. It

removes foods that can be dietary triggers. We will go over the diet a

bit later.

Targeted Nutrition: During the Detox program, you will be taking

nutritional supplements that support detoxification pathways to further

enhance program outcomes.

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Homeopathic Drainage: You will be taking homeopathic drainage

formulas to support the kidneys, lymphatic system, and liver. This will

help eliminate from the body the toxins that are being released.

Lifestyle: Lifestyle activities, such as making changes in your

environment, physical activity, detox baths, and times for relaxation,

are also encouraged during the program.

The tips for success:

1. Plan your meals ahead of time.

You may want to spend an hour on the weekend to plan your meals for

the week and make a shopping list of foods to buy so that you won’t

find yourself either grabbing something that you don’t need to eat or

skipping meals.

2. Clear the “enemy” foods from your house. That way, you won’t be

tempted to eat “junk food.”

3. Purchase vegetables, fruits, and meats ahead of time. Vegetables and

fruits will only last for three days or so. You can freeze the meat.

4. Keep emergency food with you at all times. These foods can be fresh

fruit, cut-up vegetables, and protein snacks.

5. Totally commit yourself to your program. It commonly takes 21 days

to establish a new habit.

6. Keep track of your diet and lifestyle changes.

7. Build in rewards to keep yourself motivated.

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You might consider a “spa day” after you finish the Detox Program.

Take the Toxicity Profile or use it for your patients. The questions in

the profile are designed to create awareness of how lifestyle and

dietary choices impact toxin exposure and how toxins build up. They

also create awareness of the lifestyle practices that lead to undue toxic

exposures. The Toxicity Profile is to be filled out at the beginning and

the end of the program to help identify any improvements that have

led to a reduction in the toxic burden. You will find that going over the

questions—while explaining the reasons that each may lead to

increasing toxicity and add to the toxic burden—will spark a lively

discussion. If you choose to go over the questions, you can use the

following explanations for each one.)

1. Do you eat fast-food meals at least three times per week? Fast-food

meals may contain trans fats, pesticides, hormones, and antibiotic-

laden meats. They also lack nutrients that are needed for

detoxification.

2. Are you overweight? Our fat tissue is where toxins are stored.

3. Do you tend to overeat? Overeating can cause you to gain fat

weight.

4. Do you consume “sugar-free” food sweetened with aspartame or

other sweeteners? Aspartame contains aspartic acid and several other

chemicals that can overexcite the brain and cause neuronal cell death.

Other artificial sweeteners usually contain chemicals and are processed

using chemicals. For example, chlorine is used in the processing of

sucralose.

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5. Do you regularly consume foods that contain MSG? Even though

MSG is naturally found in foods, there are many processed foods that

release high levels of MSG. MSG can cause headaches and migraines in

many people.

6. Do you eat packaged foods that contain artificial colors? Most

packaged foods contain artificial colors and chemicals that are known

to be toxic.

7. Do you eat “refined carbs” at any time during the day? Refined

foods, especially white-flour carbohydrates, are chemically stripped of

nutrients needed for detoxification and overall health.

8. Do you eat nonorganic produce? Conventionally grown foods are

grown in nutrient-depleted soils and contain pesticide residue.

Organically grown foods contain no pesticides and are grown in

nutrient-rich soil.

9. Do you eat less than 7-9 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables per

day? Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables provides important

nutrients and antioxidants to our diet. Detoxification is compromised if

our bodies do not receive these nutrients.

10. Do you drink sodas every day or several times per week? Sodas are

full of carbonation and carbonic acid, which may cause dehydration and

can provide too much phosphorus, which can compromise calcium

absorption.

11. Do you drink nonorganic coffee? Nonorganic coffee contains

volatile oils and is processed with caustic chemicals, which can be toxic.

Also, the coffee beans may contain pesticides and fungicides. Organic

coffee is usually water processed and contains no pesticide residue.

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12. Do you drink more than two cups of coffee per day? Drinking a

stimulant can increase insulin surges. These surges can lead to systemic

inflammation and fat weight gain. Insulin surges can also cause energy

to be unstable. Detoxification requires energy, and inflammation slows

down detoxification.

13. Do you drink less than eight glasses, or two quarts, of water per

day? Your body uses approximately two quarts of water a day. You

need to replenish the water you lose, and you need to be fully hydrated

in order to excrete toxins.

14. Do you cook or reheat foods in plastic containers? Do not ever use

plastic in the microwave. The plastic will melt and leach into the food.

15. Do you microwave your foods? Microwaving can alter the structure

of foods, and some research suggests that microwaving vegetables,

such as broccoli, can lose up to 97% of their flavonoids.

16. Are you presently using prescription drugs? Most prescription

drugs not only contain chemicals from the active ingredients, but they

also contain chemical additives such as food dyes. All of these

chemicals have to be broken down by the liver’s detoxification

pathways.

17. Have you ever experienced an allergic reaction to or have had side

effects from any medication? We can become intolerant or overly

sensitive to chemicals if we have a low immune tolerance. This can be

created by a build-up of toxins in our bodies.

18. Do you have strong negative reactions to caffeine or caffeine-

containing products? Having strong reactions to caffeine may mean

that the liver’s detoxification pathways are sluggish. Caffeine’s average

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time to clear the body is about 4.9 hours, depending on the health of

the liver.

19. Do you currently smoke or use tobacco products? According to the

Centers for Disease Control, “tobacco smoke contains a deadly mix of

more than 7,000 chemicals. Hundreds are toxic. About 70 can cause

cancer.”

20. Have you smoked within the past 10 years? If you are—or have

been—a smoker, you will have a build-up of toxins and a constant load

of free radicals and systemic inflammation.

21. Have you ever used recreational drugs? Recreational drugs are full

of toxic chemicals that can build up in the body.

22. Do you experience brain fog or drowsiness? If you have brain fog or

drowsiness, you may not be clearing the toxins that have crossed the

blood-brain barrier.

23. Do you develop symptoms on exposure to fragrances, exhaust

fumes, or strong odors? If you have symptoms such as brain fog,

nausea, headaches, or dizziness, then you may have a low immune

tolerance from a build-up of toxins.

24. Do you feel ill after consuming even small amounts of alcohol?

Alcohol has to be processed by the liver, and if it does not clear, the

liver’s detoxification pathways may be compromised. Alcohol can also

fire up the brain’s immune system, causing systemic inflammation that

can also compromise alcohol clearance.

25. Have you ever been exposed to harmful chemicals (pesticides,

organic solvents, etc.)? This could be one great exposure or several

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small exposures. Even being exposed to small amounts of harmful

chemicals can create a toxic load.

26. Have you ever been exposed to mold in your house or work

environment? Toxic mold can cause your immune system to become

highly reactive, causing such symptoms as multiple- chemical

sensitivity, respiratory issues, brain fog, severe hormonal disruptions,

fatigue and lethargy, and a host of other debilitating symptoms. Being

exposed to toxic mold creates a constant reactivity to toxins.

27. Have you ever had chemical dependence? Chemical dependence

means long-term exposure to chemicals and a build-up of chemicals in

your system.

28. Have you ever had asthma? Having asthma may mean that you are

allergic or reactive to toxins and that your airways are functioning

below average. You may still have a toxic overload.

29. Have you ever had chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia? These are both

inflammatory health issues that compromise your energy and thus your

ability to detoxify.

30. Do you have allergies to environmental substances or food? Having

any type of allergy means that you have a hyperactive immune system

and chronic inflammation.

31. Do you live in a house that is over 25 years old? Older homes may

still have toxic chemicals in the materials that you can be exposed to on

a daily basis.

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32. Have you had recent remodeling in your house? Breathing in toxins

from household materials can create a significant toxic load and

produce a myriad of symptoms.

33. Did symptoms develop after a move to a new house, workplace, or

remodeling? The most toxic places are our homes and workplaces.

You can hold group detoxification programs. Help multiple people

during your sessions. Do online group detoxification Programs.

The entire detox course can be purchased by members at a 30%

discount. It comes with a manual with recipes, instructions and

Systemic Detoxification Products.

Other guidelines for healthy eating. If you have a known allergy or

sensitivity to a food, then substitute another food and eliminate that

food.

When choosing fish, purchase species from locations that are less

prone to toxic exposure. Check www.seafoodwatch.org* for the list of

the fish that are most and least contaminated with toxins.

This is a list of gluten-free grains. The gluten-free grains include brown

rice, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, corn, and oats. However,

most corn products are contaminated with gluten. Brown rice is the

only grain consumed during Week One.

Nightshade vegetables are to be eliminated throughout the program.

The nightshade vegetables are tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and all

peppers.

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These are the beverages that you can drink while on the program.

Drink an 8 oz. glass of water with lemon upon rising. Squeeze the juice

of a fresh lemon into the water. Your liver loves lemon juice and it’s a

great alkalizing beverage. Do not forget to hydrate each day with at

least two quarts of filtered water. It is best to drink water in small

amounts throughout the day. You may also drink herbal and detox teas.

You can find these teas at grocery or health food stores. Take time to

relax mid-afternoon with a drink that supports antioxidant processes,

made from pineapple or pomegranate juice. Add a scoop of Greens.

Here are some herbs that support detoxification of the liver and

kidneys. Liver:

• Burdock Root

• Dandelion

• Milk Thistle

• Artichoke

• Yellow Dock

Kidneys:

• Uva Ursi

• Parsley

• Dandelion

• Juniper Berries

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• Marshmallow

Here are some herbs that support detoxification of the lungs and

lymphatic system.

Lungs:

• Comfrey

• Elecampane

• Marshmallow

• Mullein

• Slippery Elm

Lymphatic System:

• Red Clover

• Burdock Root

• Cleavers

• Sarsaparilla

• Dandelion

You will notice that Burdock root and Dandelion supports the liver and

the lymphatic system.

Complex homeopathy is a system of healing that addresses not only

the physical, but also the mental and emotional aspects of health

through diluted potencies of natural substances.

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Homeopathic formulas can have a subtle effect that can exert a

physiological outcome. Homeopathy may also have the capacity to

revitalize, strengthen, and support detoxification processes in different

areas of the body.

The area that is most affected is the extracellular fluid that surrounds

every cell.

This extracellular fluid, which is called the matrix, is the repository of

toxins. This fluid is in motion throughout the body and represents one

of the most important physiological compartments for maintaining

homeostasis in the body. This fluid is what carries biochemical

information among the cells. It delivers nutrients and removes waste

products from various processes that run the body and deals with

everyday toxins we take in daily. When there is a build-up of toxins and

waste products both inside and outside the cells, there is significant

interference in cellular metabolism and starvation of cells.

In order to gain health, these toxins and waste products need to be

extracted from this extracellular environment. It is through specific

homeopathic formulas that we can achieve this process.

Any cleansing program should include homeopathic drainage and

detoxification formulas to help clean up the matrix, revive

communication between cells, and allow vital nutrients to restore

health to the body. Always begin with drainage formulas, as they

strengthen and support cleansing of the organ systems. By instituting

drainage first, which is the gentlest approach, detoxification reactions

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can be minimal. Effective drainage can prepare the body for deeper

detoxification as well.

Drainage VS Detoxification The term detoxification usually refers to the

“release of toxins from their binding site” (the cell).

However, the process of detox is not complete unless the released or

free-flowing toxins are actually eliminated from the body. The process

of taking the toxin from the cell to its final elimination is called

drainage. If adequate drainage does not occur with detox, it can lead

to a phenomenon known as the toxic Ping-Pong Effect.

The Toxic Ping-Pong Effect occurs when toxins—instead of being

eliminated—are simply relocated to a new binding site. This occurs

when: Detoxification is undertaken without appropriate drainage

therapy and the body cannot handle the extra stress from stirred-up

toxins. Failure to eliminate the toxins can lead to higher concentrations

and systemic toxicity.

These are the sources of toxicity. On the left we have inherited toxins

(miasmas) genetic disorders. On the right we have Mental/emotional

toxins, disease forming belief system, emotional/physical traumas,

negative/hurtful subconscious toxins, and learned negative habit

patterns. Then there are physical toxins, metabolic waste, free radical

waste, digestive waste like Dysbiosis, incomplete digestion from poor

food combining, or an overworked digestive system, then there are

natural environmental pollutants like radon, heavy metals, pollens etc.,

man-made pollutants: petrochemicals, pesticides, perfumes smog etc.,

and biological organisms and their by-products: viruses, bacteria,

parasites and fungi, they all poop inside us and cause by-products, then

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there are residuals of medicinal and recreational drugs, then there are

external energy field disturbances: geopathic stress, electromagnetic,

radiation, and frequency disturbances. You can see how all this can

create a toxic burden on the human body.

There are tests to determine what level of toxic exposure you might

have. I often use ARL (Analytical Research Labs, in Phoenix Arizona for

heavy metals. They also test for mineral deficiencies or imbalances and

offer nutritional protocols. They also give insight into whether you’re

sympathetic dominant or para-sympathetic dominant, an important

factor that the late, great Dr. Nicolas Gonzales, structured his cancer

treatment around.

Great Plains Labs offers the GPL-TOX toxic chemical panel that is very

comprehensive. This is just 1 page of it.

So Why Detoxify? It’s no secret that we live in a world full of toxins.

Never before in human history have we been exposed to such high

levels of toxins. The air we breathe, the chemicals in out foods, and the

release of chemicals in our homes and workplaces all add to the toxic

load. Environmental toxicity, coupled with depletion of beneficial

intestinal bacteria and consumption of fast food has contributed to a

hidden epidemic of allergies that is sweeping the world. Environmental

toxins damage your body’s surfaces, like the respiratory or intestinal

lining or the skin. The damaged lining tissue becomes a site where

allergies develop. Do you have any idea how many people have

allergies today? More than a billion. While just 50 years ago one person

in 30 had allergies. Today that number is one in three and rising.

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Examples include automotive and industrial emissions that damage the

lining of our respiratory tracts and increase inflammation. These

pollutants make allergenic plants produce more pollen, and these

pollens are more allergenic than normal pollens.

A new chemical comes out of a laboratory somewhere in the world

every 2.6 seconds. That’s about a million a year. Over 100 thousand of

these have made their way into our homes, hidden in cleaning

solutions, personal care products, clothing and furnishings. So doesn’t it

make sense that periodically we need to clean house to help our organs

of detoxification be able to clear these allergens.

You may not think of yourself as allergic but you have common

complaints:

- Weight gain

- Stomach aches

- Insomnia

- Headaches

- Fatigue

- Depression or Anxiety

- Brain Fog

Here are some Symptoms of Toxicity or Allergies

• Headaches/migraines

• Bitter, metallic taste

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• Brain fog

• Dark circles under eyes

• Constipation

• Digestive discomfort

• Excessive mucus

• Fatigue

• Gas, bloating

• Joint and muscle aches

• Nausea or vomiting

• Poor concentration

• Ringing in the ears

• Skin rashes

• Strong body odors/foul breath

• Weight gain

These are some of the Dangers of Toxic Deposits in our body: Blurred

vision from liver toxicity, central nervous system disorders, unexplained

weight gain, due to endocrine disruptors, low testosterone in men, due

to xenobiotic exposure, joint inflammation and stiffness, acid reflux and

gird, increased risk of breast cancer, due to the liver congestion and not

being able to clear the bad estrogens the 2 and 16 hyroxyestrones,

pain, IBS, and colon cancer.

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I want to bring up a lab test called Estrogen Metabolism Assessment

(formerly estrogen Risk Assessment) by Genova Diagnostics. Breast

cancer for women and men is on the rise. This test can determine if you

are having difficulty clearing the bad estrogens that cause breast

cancer. If positive, you can take calcium deglucarate, or DIM, as well as

fiber to clear out the estrogens that cause cancer (2 & 16

hyroxyestrones). Also, if you had breast cancer, you most likely were

estrogen dominant and would benefit from taking these. Men if your

testosterone is low you could have high estrogen. Man boobs are more

likely candidate. Also if you take testosterone it can cause a rise in

estrogen. You need aromatase inhibitors like DIM.

Hopefully now you can begin to understand how functional nutrition

can solve some of the most difficult chronic health conditions that

western medicine fails to do.

By addressing gut issues first, often times symptoms will disappear.

It’s important to understand the gut is rooted in so many health

conditions because it affects every system in the body.

The key take-away here is in order to reverse chronic health

conditions one must, remove the triggers that cause inflammation,

and heal the gut and brain barriers to prevent circulating immune

complexes from creating havoc on our system. Then supply the body

with key core nutrients that help it heal.

Remember the body can heal itself if given the proper environment and

nutrients with which to do so.

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In Lesson 2 we will dive deeply into evaluation questions,

assessments, laboratory tests and interpretation to help you uncover

the triggers leading to the root causes of chronic health conditions.

This course is different than any other nutrition course because it

teaches you how to connect with you patient; find out when it started,

what’s triggering the symptoms and how to reverse the damage.

I show you how to use the Functional Medicine Matrix as a tool to get

root resolution of chronic debilitating health conditions.

You will be given done-for-you protocols and bonuses

Bonus 1 – Hepatic Detoxification Pathways and Key nutrients necessary

to complete that process

Bonus 2 –Key organs of detoxification and their role in eliminating

chronic Health Conditions

Wishing You Wellness

Dr. Teresa Rispoli, ND, DCN, LAC