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Inflammation & Immune

Migraines, Leaky Gut and Leaky Brain

A Root Cause Approach to Hashimoto’s

Understanding Hashimoto’s

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Find on the blog

🦠Hands down, the GI Map @dxsolutionslab is my f

🦠Hands down, the GI Map @dxsolutionslab is my favorite functional stool test to check your gut microbiome and digestive function.

🤷🏿‍♀️ Why?

✅ It’s super easy to do.🙌🏽

1️⃣ You collect one small stool sample, then pop the vial in the refrigerator overnight.

2️⃣ The next morning you have FedEx pick up the kit from your doorstep, or drop it off at a FedEx overnight delivery counter.

🧬 This test uses state-of-the-art genetic testing through genetic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology for every single sample. It’s the most accurate method to test for microbes.🧫

You don’t get this kind of testing from your conventional labs or gastroenterologist.🙅🏻‍♀️

The GI Map tests for the presence and levels of:
🧪 The common beneficial friendly gut bacteria.
🧪 Commensal bacteria – these are neither friendly nor unfriendly, they are fine when present in small amounts and problematic if overgrown.
🧪 Pathogenic bacteria that cause inflammation.
🧪 Bacteria associated with autoimmune disease.
🧪 Worms!
🧪 Amoebic parasites – these are microscopic and more common than you may think.
🧪 Viruses like H. pylori and Epstein-Barr.
🧪 Yeast and fungal organisms such as Candida.

Besides microbes, the GI Map evaluates:
✅ Your pancreatic enzyme production.
If your enzyme production is low, you may see undigested food in your poop.

✅ Fat in your stool
This identifies a problem with fat digestion, which is often a liver or gallbladder issue, as your liver makes bile to emulsify fats, and your gallbladder squirts it out on demand.

✅ Anti-gliadin antibodies
Your immune system makes these when gluten is a problem. Also, for people who are off gluten, the presence of these antibodies indicates that you are reacting to gluten cross-reactive foods.

✅ Inflammation in your GI tract through a marker called calprotectin
I use this frequently with my autoimmune colitis and Crohn’s patients to monitor how our autoimmune treatment is working.

Want to know more about this test and how we can make a plan of action based on the results?

Schedule a free discovery call with me to hear more.

📍Monterey & Aptos, CA & virtual consults across the USA

Link in bio @dr.lauraparis

Are you plagued by migraines?🤯⁠ .⁠ Many mig

Are you plagued by migraines?🤯⁠
.⁠
Many migraine sufferers are sensitive to things in their environment, including:⁠
⚠️ foods⁠
⚠️ weather⁠
⚠️ allergens⁠
⚠️ chemicals⁠
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.⁠
🚫 Barometric pressure changes⁠
Atmospheric barometric pressure changes can trigger migraines, probably because of the shift of pressure in your sinus cavities. When your sinuses are congested this effect can be stronger.⁠
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🚫 Wind⁠
Many migraine sufferers report getting headaches after exposure to strong outdoor wind. Indoor wind, especially cold wind from air conditioners, can trigger headaches as well. In Chinese medicine, we call these “wind invasion” types of headaches.⁠
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🚫 Sun⁠
Even people who don’t suffer from migraines can feel sick after too much sun, especially with less protection from the ozone layer these days.⁠
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🚫 Air pollution⁠
Inhaled chemicals from perfume, crop dusting, pesticide spray, exhaust fumes, and smoke of all types can trigger migraines.⁠
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🚫 Allergens⁠
Mold, dust mite, pet dander, tree, grass, and pollen allergies can all trigger migraines. If you have allergy symptoms in addition to migraines, it’s likely that mopping up your allergy symptoms will help your migraines.⁠
.⁠
🚫 Things you ingest⁠
Nitrates, sulfites, tyramine, MSG, alcohol, caffeine, and chocolate….this list can be daunting! However, if these are triggers, you just need to identify which ones. The American Migraine Foundation has a useful page on these triggers.⁠
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🚫 Histamine foods⁠
The histamine-food list is extensive. If they are a trigger, you may have an underlying yeast or mold sensitivity. You may also have what’s called mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS).⁠
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The bottom line is there may be root causes you can address that will reduce, or even eliminate, your environmental-induced migraines.⁠
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Do you have chronic migraines and are at your wit’s end trying to solve them?⁠
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Feel free to schedule a free discovery call with me to hear more about how I could potentially support you.⁠
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📍Monterey & Aptos, CA & virtual consults across the USA⁠
.⁠
Link in bio @dr.lauraparis⁠
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Your thyroid hormones and your reproductive (sex)

Your thyroid hormones and your reproductive (sex) hormones intricately interact.

Thyroid hormones affect your:
🔗 cycle timing
🔗 blood flow
🔗 ability to conceive

>>>Follicle growth depends on thyroid hormones

Your ovaries and the oocytes (eggs) in all your follicles have high numbers of thyroid hormone receptors.🦋

When you are #hypothyroid -- your ovaries do not get enough thyroid hormones to ripen follicles.

As a result, your follicle growth is stunted. This means ovulation may not happen, and you may:
🚩 Experience missed, heavy, or infrequent periods.
🚩 Have shorter cycles, with more frequent periods.
🚩 Suffer from an overly heavy blood flow when you do have your period.

Your thyroid hormones are essential for follicle development, ovulation, and a healthy period.

Low thyroid hormones affects your whole cycle

More than half of hypothyroid women have menstrual irregularities.🤯

There are several scenarios that can happen to your menstrual cycle when you are hypothyroid:

🩸 No ovulation:
Without the right amount of thyroid hormone, your follicles will not grow and ripen as they should. If you don’t get an LH surge, which depends on thyroid hormones, you won’t ovulate.

🩸 Short luteal phase:
After ovulation, the empty follicle sac that released your egg produces progesterone. Progesterone helps you have a sufficient luteal phase.

🩸 Heavy flow:
Sometimes periods can be so heavy, the blood is “flooding.” This is related to low levels of progesterone.

#Hypothyroidism can affect your ability to conceive, because of all the reasons above.

About 1/3 of “subfertile” women are hypothyroid. Your TSH should be under 2.5 to conceive. In a nutshell:
🚩 If your follicles don’t mature properly, then you may not ovulate. With no egg, there’s no conception
🚩 High prolactin interferes with conception
🚩 If you don’t have enough progesterone, that will interfere with implantation success
🚩 General menstrual cycle irregularities and hormone imbalances affect conception and fertility.

All of your reproductive and thyroid hormones need to be in the right delicate balance for conception to work.

Questions about hypothyroid and fertility? Ask me below!

Do you know the two E’s of anxiety management?⁠
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If you have anxiety or depression, it’s worth it to check out a variety of biological factors that may significantly help your recovery.⁠
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Two important ones that I always check (among others) include:⁠
📌 Exercise⁠
📌 Energy⁠
.⁠
.⁠
🧩 Exercise⁠
Exercise improves mental health – this is shown in the research.⁠
.⁠
It’s not hard to convince people of this, yet it can be hard to get some people to actually DO it.⁠
.⁠
Here are the three top reasons for this:⁠
🚫 “I don’t have the time.”⁠
✅ Choose to make the time. Put it in your calendar as non-negotiable.⁠
.⁠
🚫 “I don;t like to exercise.”⁠
✅ Find one or more ways of moving your body that you do like. Dance. Rollerblade. Bike. Swim. Hike. Find something you enjoy doing or you won’t want to do it.⁠
.⁠
🚫 “It’s too hard to exercise.”⁠
✅ If this is because of a physical limitation, get help from a PT or trainer. There’s almost always SOMETHING you can do.⁠
.⁠
🚫 If it’s a problem with energy…..⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
🧩 Energy⁠
This refers to your experience of energy production. Do you feel like you don’t have the mojo needed to move your body and then recover from it? If so:⁠
⁠
1️⃣ First, you need enough of the nutrients we explored in the first post, especially vitamin B12.⁠
2️⃣ Then, you need to have decent adrenal function. You can assess it with the DUTCH adrenal test.⁠
3️⃣ Your thyroid needs to be in good shape, more on this later.⁠
4️⃣ You need your mitochondria to work well. These are the organelles inside every cell that make your cellular energy called ATP. Mitochondria can be hungry or damaged. You can test with the Organix test.⁠
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Do you have questions about addressing anxiety naturally? Let me know in the comments!⁠
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#selfcare #love #loveyourself #wellness #inspiration #bodypositivity #gratitude #selflove #health #healthyliving #girlpower #womanpower #femaleentrepreneur #womeninbusiness #bosslady #girlboss #functionalnutrition #healthy #nutrition #healthcoach #integrativemedicine #lifestylemedicine #functionalmedicinedoctor #healing #selfhelp #play #happiness #meditation #trustyourself #innerjourney

Sometimes the best thing we can do for…⁠ ✨ T

Sometimes the best thing we can do for…⁠
✨ The world⁠
✨ Our family⁠
✨ Ourselves⁠
.⁠
.⁠
...is to find moments of peace within ourselves.⁠
.⁠
Taking even just 5 minutes out of the day can help you reset, regain clarity, decrease stress, and increase a feeling of peace.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
Need some help to get started?⁠
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Head to the link in bio to receive my free 5-minute breathing meditation.⁠
.⁠
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.⁠
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⁠
#selfcare #love #loveyourself #wellness #inspiration #bodypositivity #gratitude #selflove #health #healthyliving #girlpower #womanpower #femaleentrepreneur #womeninbusiness #bosslady #girlboss #functionalnutrition #healthy #nutrition #healthcoach #integrativemedicine #lifestylemedicine #functionalmedicinedoctor #healing #selfhelp #play #happiness #meditation #trustyourself #innerjourney

Inositol – The 1️⃣ Ovary Vitamin⁠
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🔎 If you’ve searched “supplements for PCOS or fertility” you’ve probably come across inositol.⁠
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It’s arguably the most well-researched supplement for women’s reproductive health these days.💥⁠
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What is inositol and how does it relate to PCOS?🤔⁠
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It is a natural sugar alcohol that plays many important roles in your body, such as regulating neurotransmitters and hormones.⁠
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🔑 For #PCOS and ovarian health, inositol is key.⁠
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It improves all aspects of PCOS, starting with insulin resistance.✅⁠
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Most women with PCOS have some degree of insulin resistance as part of this complex endocrine and metabolic disorder.⁠
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Reversing insulin resistance is paramount to reversing PCOS. Inositol has been shown to work as well as Metformin in this regard, without the side effects.🙌🏽⁠
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It’s documented to:⁠
✅ improve insulin sensitivity⁠
✅ lower triglycerides and blood pressure⁠
✅ increase HDL (“good” cholesterol)⁠
.⁠
What else can inositol do for PCOS?⁠
.⁠
Women with PCOS often have high androgens (“male” hormones) and low sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) which binds to androgens to lower excess amounts. Inositol both lowers androgens and raises SHBG, a win-win for PCOS.⁠
.⁠
PCOS involves disruptions in how the ovaries mature and release eggs from follicles (ovulate). Ovaries have a high need for inositol. This is because they need to uptake a lot of glucose, in order to meet their high-energy requirements.⁠
.⁠
In your ovaries, inositol:⁠
✅ Controls the uptake of glucose⁠
✅ Helps your ovary respond to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) for egg maturation⁠
✅ Raises estrogen levels in the ovary, which helps your LH surge – needed for ovulation to happen⁠
✅ Determines how much testosterone is produced⁠
.⁠
.⁠
Inositol is good for egg quality, ovarian response to FSH and LH, insulin sensitivity, ovulation, regular cycles, anxiety, and better SHBG and testosterone levels in PCOS.⁠
.⁠
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Think you have a hormone imbalance that’s impacting your cycles & fertility?⁠
.⁠
Take my Hormone Balance Quiz and receive a free copy of my guide Seven Root Causes of Hormone Troubles.⁠
.⁠
Link in bio⁠
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Are you new around here? If so, let’s get to kno

Are you new around here? If so, let’s get to know each other!

Hi! I’m Dr. Laura Paris, a functional medicine practitioner, and doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

🔆 I have an acupuncture clinic in Monterey & Aptos, CA and see functional medicine clients virtually around the US.

🔆 I grew up in Illinois in a Catholic family of 9 kids. We grew all of our produce. I was the only rebel out of the 9!

🔆 In my 20s I began to have a lot of joint and connective tissue inflammation and weakness that I didn’t understand. I saw doctors with no answers. I thought I was crazy. Lots of tendinitis and generalized inflammation. I felt like it had to do with food and I tried every nutrition approach

🔆 Age 33 I was working as a Feldenkrais practitioner when the joints in my hands and fingers became red, swollen and painful. My whole body was stiff and painful. Finally lab work showed I had an aggressive form of rheumatoid arthritis. It was a relief to find out that I wasn’t crazy, but also taught me a lot about paying attention to early signs because I knew something was wrong for many years before this diagnosis.

🔆 As a career change I went to acupuncture school in Santa Cruz. I managed to keep RA at bay without medication, but I had to do a lot of work with food, microbiome health, stress management, and acupuncture.

🔆 I have to be really careful about my metabolism since having gestational diabetes because I am sensitive to carbohydrates.

🔆 I often still feel like I am pretending to be an adult. I’m a goofball at heart and can’t take things tooo seriously

🔆 My husband is 8 years younger than me - an age difference I highly recommend ;)

🔆 I am crazy in love with my two cavalier King Charles spaniels!

🔆 My self-care and healing became even more prominent in 2010 and the last decade has been pretty amazing. I was able to go through perimenopause with flying colors. Now in my 50s I’m happier and healthier than I’ve ever been in my adult life!

🔆 AND what gets me out of bed everyday is knowing that I’m empowering women by helping them take their health under control

Now, I want to get to know you! Tell me a fun fact about yourself below!

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