Identifying Gut Bugs and Systemic Candida with Andrea Maxim, ND

 July 28, 2015

Sometimes when we know some things about natural medicine, we can oversimplify a problem.

Let's say, you have loose stool, and you say, "oh, I just have a sensitive stomach," or "it's because I eat a lot of vegetables." (By the way, I hear that second one A LOT and, no, you don't get loose stools from vegetables or being a vegetarian!)

Or say you are having brain fog (for the 100th day in a row) and say,"I just need a snack."

What if it's not that simple?  What if there are major issues you are overlooking, perhaps lurking in your gut?

  Dr. Andrea Maxim is our guest on the podcast today, and she is sharing some great insights on commonly overlooked symptoms of intestinal parasites, bacterial imbalance, and systemic candida.

Dr. Maxim is the author of the book, Maximized Health:  The New, Intelligent System for Optimal Digestion and Hormones.  Her clinic, in the Hamilton, Ontario region of Canada, were voted 'best naturopathic clinic' by the Hamilton Reader's Choice for the past three years.

Andrea is passionate about spreading the message of Maximized Health.  You can find her video blogs, her book, and information about becoming a patient at her website, The Maxim Movement.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The possible signs and symptoms of a gut infection
• How she tests for infections
• How we become infected in the first place 
• How often she finds gut bugs (this may shock you!)
• Some of Andrea's favorite supplements and protocols for infections

Andrea also shared her top 3 'must have' supplements for every body:

1. A quality multivitamin
2. Fish oil
3. Greens powder

Enjoy this episode with Dr. Andrea Maxim, and share this blog if it would be helpful for the ones you love!

For more info: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/womenswellnessradio/2015/07/28/identifying-gut-bugs-and-systemic-candida-with-andrea-maxim-nd

Ayurveda Curious? Learn from Guest Expert, Jeevani Eigen

I am a yoga-loving American woman, having practiced for over a decade, but still don't know much about Ayurveda.  If you're like me, Ayurveda curious, then enjoy this new podcast with my old friend, Jeevani Eigen.  

Jeevani will give us some context, taking the elements and how they influence Ayurvedic theory.  Then we'll dive into one theory within Ayurveda, the tri-doshic theory.  

The three doshas are:  Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.  When there are imbalances in these subtle energies, it can signal a pre-curser to disease.

Here are some qualities of each dosha, and Jeevani explains you can have a blend of types:

Vata

• Air and ether
• Fall
• Tall and slim body type
• Skin and hair may be dry
• Dark, small, darting eyes
• Creative, enthusiastic
• Like to travel and move
• May struggle with boundaries and focus
• Can get overwhelmed, or crash and burn
• Most active 2-6 AM or PM

Pitta

• Fire and water
• Summer
• Medium build
• Straight, fair hair, or bald
• Sharp, bright eyes, and sensitive to light
• Intelligent, clear thinking learners
• Likes to be the leader
• Most active 10-2 AM or PM

Kapha

• Earth, water
• Winter, Spring
• Big boned
• Pure, pale skin
• Thick, curly hair
• Big, beautiful eyes
• Loving, grounded, stable
• High endurance
• Nourishing homebodies
• Struggle with deadlines
• Most active 6-10 AM or PM

Here are some resources Jeevani mentioned:

• Schedule with Jeevani through Yoga Pearl
• Jeevani's site for email/ phone
• Look for Ayurvedic books by Dr. Vasant Lad, David Frawley, Dr. Robert Svoboda

Hope you enjoy this episode with Jeevani Eigen!  To stay tuned with the show, subscribe on iTunes or the Android podcast app you use.

For more info: http://www.bridgitdanner.com/

Holistic Dental Care with Cindy Haas

When I first began to specialize in fertility, I learned that it's important to have a healthy mouth.  I was surprised, but intrigued.  I went on to learn the danger of hidden / untreated infections in the body, and how they stress our whole system.

As I developed my Baby Launch Camp training program, I shared this information with other women.  They were equally surprised, and eager to learn more.
It took a while to find a real-life holistic dental expert, but I finally found one at a housewarming party in Vancouver, Washington!

Cindy Haas was a Dental Hygienist for many years before also becoming a Certified Holistic Health Coach.
She published a book called Over the Lips and through the Gums to teach others about the mouth and how our choices effect our oral health.  She also educates dental professionals who want to incorporate more holistic methods into their practices at Integrative Dental Concepts.

Cindy was nice enough to answer my myriad of questions about oral hygiene.  It's a long episode, but I encourage you to listen through to the end when we give some practical tips.

Here are some things you'll learn on the show:

• What is the bacterial environment in the mouth?
• How do teeth get nutrients versus get decayed?
• What are the most important foods to eat or avoid for oral health?
• Are brushing and flossing getting the job done?
• What about these dental options:  fluoride, xylitol, MI paste, oil pulling and water pics?
• How can we help our babies develop a healthy mouth?

This is really exciting and important information that is sadly still hard to find.  I hope you enjoy the show and share it with a friend who needs it!

Listen now at the link below, or find us in iTunes and other podcast players.

For more info: http://www.bridgitdanner.com/

The Reproductive Continuum

I recently had the pleasure of treating a 16 year old woman with Chinese Medicine for the first time.  After initially stating her health was 'fine,' I soon learned she was under a lot of stress, and her cycle had been heavy and painful for a few years.

I was so delighted to teach her about her estrogen and progesterone, how stress effects our hormones, and how exposure to xeno-estrogens can effect our cycles.  I learned that she had gotten her first cycle quite young, and was soon due to visit a gynecologist who, her mom suspected, would put her on birth control to 'fix' her heavy cycle.  Her mom had had the same experience as a teenager.

It made me think about how we now having two generations of women being offered the Pill at an early age.  It also made me think about how this well-meaning mom wanted to help her daughter, but didn't know much herself about the menstrual cycle worked, or how to fix it naturally.

On the podcast recently, we talked about perimenopause with Andrea Thorpe.  The next week we heard from Dr. Joleen Fuller, who walked us through thyroid disorder, from fertility to post-partum.

What do all these various stages from first periods to births to waning periods have in common?  They are all on a continuum of our reproductive years.

Linking these stages is something I'm very passionate about as an educator and practitioner. This first came to the forefront for me as I suffered through some post-partum depression.  Coming out of it, I knew I wanted to help prevent suffering for other women!

The lightbulb went off again as I began to specialize in fertility.  I met so many wonderful women, who were suffering so much.  Sure, they were suffering because of an unrealized goal of becoming pregnant.  But there was something else going on, and I think that was a lack of understanding and trust in their bodies, sometimes coupled with an inability to find meaning in their lives sans the baby they expected.

This is when I took a step back to approach women's health as a whole.  

• How can I prevent a women from getting into post-partum depression?  
• How can I educate a woman about her cycle, so that her teenage daughter can learn from her?  
• How can I inspire a woman to eat healthfully, whether she's trying to conceive or not?  
• How can I help break stereotypes of what a woman needs to be in our culture, so a woman can be whatever bad ass way she wants?

It's been about one year this I took this step back, and it feels good to finally be stepping forward with a clearer mission in how I can serve you.  

Another thing I really value is collaboration, and thank goodness, because I'm not sure how I'd reach the lofty goal about educating as many women as possible about their health without some help!

I love interviewing experts on the podcasts, hosting guest bloggers, and hosting online summits. 

Look for more of that to come in the coming year.  I've even grabbed a new url (not yet constructed), Women's Wellness Collaborative, to further grow that community vibe.

Thank you for being a part of this community, as we grow and learn together!

For more info: http://www.bridgitdanner.com

Autoimmune Thyroid from Fertility to Post-Partum

I had a great conversation on the podcast with Dr. Jolene Brighten, ND about thyroid conditions, and how they effect our fertility, our baby's health and our own post-partum health.

I would say that we speak the most on the subject of post-partum, as it's a subject close to my own heart, as well as Jolene's, who discovered well past childbirth that she had post-partum autoimmune thyroiditis.

One thing I think is important to understand deeply is that our reproductive stages are linked, and minding this continuum is critical to our health as we try to conceive, carry a child, and then support a new baby.

Dr. Brighten talks about:

• Why and which thyroid markers to test pre-conception
• How an untreated thyroid condition can lead to miscarriage and developmental deficits
• Why it's important to test thyroid markers in weeks 6-12 of pregnancy if you are autoimmune thyroid
• Why changes in our immune system potentiate thyroid imbalance after childbirth
• Which underlaying factors to consider of you have autoimmune thyroid
• Why getting support is needed for post-partum health complaints

If you are an autoimmune mom, a mom suffering with post-partum symptoms, a woman diagnosed with autoimmune thyroiditis, or someone curious about thyroid disorders (which are highly on the rise in women,) I think you'll benefit from the info-packed interview with Dr. Brighten.

To learn more about Dr. Brighten, visit drbrighten.com.  To grab her resource on post-partum, follow this link.

Use this link to find the show on iTunes.  It can be found on most podcast players by searching Women's Wellness Radio.

For more info: www.bridgitdanner.com