Degenerative Disc Disease is a general term for a condition in which the damaged intervertebral disc causes chronic pain, which could be either low back…
Infections can happen to any individual given specific circumstances, however, infections occurring in HIV/AIDS patients are more commonly referred to opportunistic infections or OIs. …
Disc bulge and disc herniation are some of the most common conditions that can affect the spine of both young and middle-aged patients. It is…
The detoxification process has two separate phases, both equally important. In phase one, our body requires “activator†enzymes. These enzymes hold the responsibility of activating a substance that needs to be removed. Once this process is complete, we move on to phase two detoxification. During phase two, we use “excretor†enzymes. These enzymes catalyze reactions that lead to the excretion of the toxins from the body. The way this process works is by binding the “active†toxins from phase one with glutathione in order to make the compounds water-soluble. Water-soluble compounds have the ability to be excreted through sweat or urine. With specific gene variants or deletions within this process, individuals have an increased risk for inflammation, cancers, and other health conditions.
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBDs are health issues that affect the digestive tract by causing inflammation that lasts longer than an…
DNA methylation is a very important factor in our biochemical pathways. Methylation uses a process of donating methyl groups to a substrate. These methyl group substrates contain DNA and RNA, chemicals, neurotransmitters, hormones, and immune cells. A few examples of methylation include: regulating gene expression, biotransformation, myelination which is the production of the protective coating that surrounds our nerves), building neurotransmitters, immune cells, processing hormones, and DNA/RNA synthesis.
We all have specific genes that either increase or decrease our risk of developing cardiovascular disease. These genes can have SNPs, and each has the ability to influence lipid metabolism. These influences can be modulated by the gene’s metabolism. There is heavy evidence that suggests environmental factors will influence most premature cardiovascular cases if action is taken in favor of an individual’s genetic predisposition.
We use DNA Health by DNA Life to test our patients for their genetic variations and to create a personalized healthcare plan for them to better lower their risk of developing diseases.
Our brain is constantly working to help us make decisions, speak, read, and perform many other important functions. It’s also responsible for several involuntary processes,…
One of the most important nutrients in the body is Co-Enzyme Q10 (CoQ10). CoQ10 is involved in the electron transport chain as well as playing a role in endothelial function. As of late, the medical literature has shown that statin medications like Lipitor, Crestor, and Zecor shut down the production of CoQ10. CoQ10 is needed for many biochemical reactions throughout the body. However, one of the most important factors to realize is that when CoQ10 is depleted in the body we have adverse reactions like the LDL cholesterol becoming oxidized. This event unleashes further destruction to the body and results in the LDL cholesterol drilling holes in the arterial wall, causing extreme inflammation. Inflammation is directly linked to chronic health conditions as well as an increased risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Taste perception impacts the food choices we make, our nutrition, and our overall health. Genetically speaking, the taste response we have represents a phenotype. The five taste qualities we have include sweet, bitter, salty, umami, and sour. Genetics shows that humans who are more susceptible to the liking of sugar and fat are influenced by a specific genotype. Similar to this, individuals who have the ability to detect bitterness and rotting food have another genotype. Understanding the genotype people possess is highly important and can be used to create tailored programs for individuals.
There are currently 54 million adults who suffer from Arthritis. Additionally, about 9% of adults have some type of arthritis-attributed activity limitation. The CDC predicts the number of those diagnosed with arthritis will only continue to rise in the years coming. Arthritis means inflammation of the joints. With Arthro meaning joint and itis referring to inflammation, it is clear that joint inflammation is the symptom being referred to. Many conventional approaches to arthritis treatment are aimed at reducing the inflammation of the joints. These medications also come with a heavy dose of side effects including kidney failure, gastritis, and bleeding in the stomach. Looking from a functional perspective, we pinpoint what is causing the inflammation in the first place. By resolving the overall inflammation in the body and creating a holistic plan to treat and reduce what is causing the inflammation, the joint inflammation ultimately subsides.
Calories are defined as a measurement of the energy our body produces from the foods we eat. However, not all calories are created equal. If…
For those who have lactose intolerance, the LCT gene transcription is reduced, leading to a low level of lactase. To turn off LCT it involves blocking an activator or turning up a repressor. In fact, it is theorized that lactase persistence is a human evolutionary adaptation to drinking milk from domesticated animals. The mutation in the gene started to appear around the same time as the domestication of cattle.
Nutrition is considered to be one of the most well-understood environmental factors associated with changes in the epigenome. Nutrients in the foods we eat are…
Insulin is an essential hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. It is naturally produced in the pancreas and helps move excess glucose from the bloodstream…
Depression is a natural response of the body and brain when there are biochemical imbalances occurring. These imbalances can involve toxicities, inflammation, metabolic issues, and genetic predispositions. When we are in a stressful state that lasts for too long, dysautonomia occurs and we burn out, leading to depression. Bun out is what occurs when any system is operating at too high of levels for too long. No matter what the issue is, depression or adrenal exhaustion, all chronic health issues can be related back to stress. We have the ability to test the neurotransmitters and take on depression from a holistic approach.
Researchers are trying to understand how nutrigenomics can affect a person’s health. Studies have shown that epigenetics increases the risk of several health issues. Other…