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An eye opening solution to my health

 I wanted to take a moment to document my experience over the last few months. A lot of you have been reaching out to me on social media about the supplements i’m taking, the cleanses i’m doing, and the functional medicine program I am a part of. I wanted to take a step back and blog about my eye opening experience to my health.

When did I fall in love with nutrition and integrative medicine?

I received my bachelors degree from Kean University in Biology with a pre med focus. My intentions were to apply to physician assistant schools. While in school I wanted to get some hands on experience so I started working as a patient care technician in a major hospital. Working in the hospital only opened my eyes to the link between diet and chronic disease, especially working with children. I’ve learned that we live in an expensive flawed system only focusing on symptom management rather than digging deeper to the root of the problem. Doctors are so easily to prescribe prescription drugs and medications for diagnosis which can be reversed with a proper diet or nutrition protocol. The more I grew up the more I began to realize the medical field was not all I thought it would be. The passion and love I had for nutrition and food as medicine was much greater which lead me to applying for my masters of science in clinical nutrition at Maryland University of Integrative Health. I am beginning my third trimester of the program. While studying to become a clinical nutritionist, I started interning with a group by the name of Integrative Wellness Group whom specialize in functional, bioenergetic, emotional, and physical medicine. After interning for only a week,  I left the hospital to begin working full time as a practitioners assistant at Integrative Wellness Group. My functional medicine journey began. 

[ integrativewellnessgroup ]

Integrative wellness group is located on the Jersey Shore but also manages long distance patients. For any interest in the program after reading this blog, you can schedule your free 15 minute strategy call for more information about the functional medicine program. 

How did I become a patient & what is the functional medicine program?

As a full time employee with IWG, I felt the best way I could learn the functional medicine program was to become a patient myself.

The functional medicine program at IWG collaborates extensive lab testing, Dr. Klingardt’s Autonomic Response Testing, Bioscan technology, and other diagnostic tests. These tests are used to treat every patient’s case individually, find the root cause of their symptoms, and get them an appropriate diagnosis.

First, the consultation. The doctor will evaluate your symptoms and extensive health history over a course of 60 minutes.

Next, the doctor will recommend lab testing; autonomic response testing, blood tests, stool tests, nasal swabs, etc. Autonomic response testing is a type of muscle testing based off of light physics which challenges the autonomic nervous system. Autonomic response testing will help fill in the gaps of most lab tests. For example, a blood test may show a thyroid marker is out of range but it does not tell us why. It clarifies different types of infections in the body, the location of the infections, and the best methods to resolve those infections. 

Then, a Bioscan will be done to determine stressors using galvanic skin response. The Bioscan has the ability to test for emotions, food sensitivities, environmental allergens, toxins, infections, and mold exposure.

Once all test results are concluded, you meet with the physician to review your findings and find the root cause of your symptoms. The practitioner will design an individualized plan for each patient to integrate approaches such as homeopathy, supplements, diet, infrared sauna, ionized detox foot baths, cold laser therapy, Viaderm therapy, chiropractic, sound wave technology, Bioscan technology, etc.

My ultimate healing approach 

Before I started testing I honestly did not think I had any health concerns. I recently had a check up with my general practitioner and was told my blood work looked perfect. I ate a plant based diet, used 99% natural skin care products, avoided processed sugars/breads, and did not have a lot of symptoms (or so I thought). I decided to go throw the program to speak about my own experience as a patient. I honestly did not take any of the testing seriously. The program was a huge eye opener to me to how easily it is in the world we live in to be subject to many toxins and infections. If it wasn’t for the way I ate and took care of myself I would probably have been very sick.

Its funny, I did not feel I had any major symptoms or issues. I had minimal fatigue but linked it to my resent stoppage of birth control. I had no serious complaints. Any general practitioner would have told me I was healthy, but I was not healthy. I was living with mold exposure, lyme co infections, heavy metal toxicity, parasites, bacterial infections, and viral infections. My immune system was stressed, & my organs were suffering. It is almost as if living with mold exposure, lyme, and co-infections became my normal and I didn’t realize how good I could actually feel. Today, I can honestly say I never felt better and I have inserted a time line below for anyone interested in reading my story. Upon completing the first 8 weeks of my program I am feeling amazing. After following my ultimate healing program for 8 weeks, my follow up blood work and autonomic response testing was done and my testing results improved significantly. Concluding my autonomic response testing results I am no longer having an immune response to viruses, antibiotic stress, bacterial infections, or hormonal imbalance. My lyme and co infections have decreased by more than 50%.

BLOOD WORK

When my blood work came back, all of the markers a general physician would have ran came back in healthy range.

[Complete Metabolic Panel, Glucose Levels, Kidney Profile, Liver Panel, Lipid Panel with Total Cholesterol, Thyroid Panel, Complete Blood Count (CBC) with Differential and Platelets, Minerals, etc. ]

However, I was shocked to see the results of the unique panels only a functional physician would run.

-My complement C4a was extremely high. The reference interval for this test was 0.0-650 and my marker was 2114.4. My immune system was stressed.

-My osmolality was low, because my body was having difficulty holding fluid due to mold exposure which explained why I was always urinating frequently. I was depleting my body of electrolytes.

-My antibodies for candida came back significantly high,  yeast overgrowth.

-I had viruses I never knew I had, which was most likely from exposure from working in the hospital for 5+ year, viruses like parvovirus, coxsackie, EBV, and HHV.

-My testosterone was high, also an indicator of mold exposure in women.

-I was positive for IgG p41 Ab, a lyme marker in Western Blot Serum.

-My TGFB1 (trans growth factor beta 1) was astronomical, signaling environmental mold exposure & with my complement c4a elevated, this signaled I was dealing with active lyme.

AUTONOMIC RESPONSE TESTING – how autonomic response testing works is it affects your autonomic nervous system. A signal enhancer is placed over a toxin or infection to magnify the frequency and if you have that same frequency inside your body it will affect your sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and you will have a strong muscle response. 

I had autonomic response testing done and my results concluded I was currently having an immune response to…

Lyme related infections: Nanobacteries, Borna virus, Bartonella Henselae, herpes type 1, Borrelia.

Fungus & mold: mucor racemosis, pulluria, smuts mix, sporothrix schenchii, mold mix, epicoccum.

Bacterial infections: Staphyloccus auresus

Parasite infections: Idodes richnus, endolimax in appendix, balantidium, and dilylidium canium composite.

Viral infections: EBV, HHV, Xmrv, influenza h5n1, coxackie, parvo, zytomegalie.

Heavy metal toxicity: thallium, arsenic.

Allergies: black mold, dust & mold. [A mold allergy is developed after living in mold chronically for 2 years or acutely for about 10 years]

Other: cortisol low, insulin low, antibiotics stress.

Organs most stressed: stomach (lyme, metals, mold), colon (lyme, heavy metals, mold), thyroid (parasites, bacteria, mold), left lung (bacteria), bladder (parasites, virus, mold).

Supplements tested for: it was interesting to see the supplements I tested well for in my autonomic response testing because most of them were immune supporting. Testing supplements in autonomic response testing allows the body to tell you what it needs help with first. I primarily needed a lot of help with my immune system and gastrointestinal support.

• B6 Niacinamide- supports nervous system & metabolism
• Horse chestnut complex- healthy circulation & environmental stress
• Phospholipid- brain health & immune system
• Ultra Virex- supports healthy immune function
• Cordyceps- immune system & energy support
• Okra pepsin E3- GI support, supports the tissue in intestines to cleanse bowels
• Mimosa pudica- GI support, parasite & microbial defense
• Ashwagandha- supports endocrine & immune system
• Zeobind- Detox heavy metals, pesticides, & mycotoxins

MY CUSTOM PROGRAM 

Week one: Concluding week one I was feeling normal and had lots of energy. 

• Meal changes {freeze my own fruit, no grains, adding in collagen, morning shake} – I learned to freeze my own fruit because of a type of mold, mucor rasemosis found in my autonomic response testing. This is a type of mold found on frozen fruits and vegetables. I cut out high mold foods such as grains and peanut butter  to help detox from mold and yeast. 
• Bio identical urine remedy {drink half of a cup a day for 2 weeks} – mobilizes infections, down regulates the immune system and puts you into a healing state. 
• Left ear classical music {5 minutes per day to strengthen right brain} – right brain controls the left side of the body and the left brain controls the right side of the body. 
• Bioscan  {ran test on mycotoxins + immune booster frequencies}

Week two: I started to feel tired this week and it was hard to get out of bed.

• Infrared sauna {two sessions}
• Ionized detox hand bath {2 sessions showing lymphatic, gallbladder, and liver detox}

Week three: more energized throughout the day but hard to get out of bed in the morning

• Infrared sauna {one session}
• Ionized detox hand bath {1 sessions showing lymphatic and liver detox}
• Functional medicine follow up with nutritionist
• Doing autonomic response testing for new supplements only, looking for more detoxification aiding supplements.

Week four: Still very tired, sleeping through alarms, Saturday night occipital lymph node swelling. 

• Infrared sauna {two sessions}
• Ionized detox foot bath {2 sessions showing lymphatic, and gallbladder detox}
• 2 yoni steams {Herbs: mugwort, uva ursi}
• Testing for new supplements 

Supplements round 2 – This time around I tested more for detoxification support 

• Catalyn 4yin – multivitamin
• Bilberry 4yin – antioxidant, supports healthy connective tissue & capillaries
• Spm active 4yin – tissue health & immune support
• Biocidin 4yin – microbiome balance & GI support
• Green clay 4yin – alkalize body, support healthy mineral levels in cell
• Garlic 4yin – detoxification, antioxidant, and immune support
• Original symbiotic 4yin – immune defense
• Boswellia complex 3yin – healthy circulation, supports kidney function & joints
• Moltipro 3yin – GI mobility
• Artemis 3yin – Immune support, antioxidant, hormonal balance

Week five –Saturday night I noticed a hard lump near my occipital lymph node, monday morning there were two more lumps on my left side neck lymph nodes and behind my ear. Tuesday developed a painful ear infection and lymph nodes swelled up more, tender to touch. 

• Infrared sauna {one sessions}
• Ionized detox hand bath
• Yoni steam {mugwort, black cohost, uva ursi}
• Cupping therapy {both sides near neck lymph nodes}
• Cold laser therapy {lymphatic frequency}
• Vibration plate {10 minutes}
• Infrared sauna
• Lymph work with Dr. Kyle 

Week six: feeling a little better but lymph nodes still swollen. 

• Infrared sauna {one sessions}
• Ionized detox foot bath {one session}
• Started IWG 21 day cleanse – shakes, fruits, vegetables only

Week seven: a lot more energy

• Infrared sauna {one sessions}
• Ionized detox foot bath {one session}
• IWG 21 day cleanse – adding in nuts and seeds

Week eight 

• Infrared sauna {one sessions}
• Yoni steam {one session}
• Ionized detox foot bath
• Finished IWG 21 day cleanse

Feeling great! 

New ART results showed significant progress.

I’ve learned that the body heals in layers and although I was able to rid many of the toxins, viruses, infections, and co-infections, there were new toxins which were present. My blood also improved and my TGFB1 is no longer elevated to the extent that it was. My immune system is no longer stressed.