Histamine is a versatile biologic amine. It is involved in fine-tuning the balance between immunity (the ability to fight infection or clear abnormal cells) and tolerance (the ability of the immune system to tolerate “outsider molecules” like foods, dust, environmental chemicals, etc.) Histamines affect dendritic cells (cells that boost the immune responses by showing antigens on their surfaces to other cells of the immune system), immunoregulatory cells, T-cell polarization (deciding…
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Xenoestrogen Exposure is a Clear Risk Factor for Breast and Other Female Cancers For our clients and patients with exposure to xenoestrogens, the first step is to reduce the exposures, lowering their overall toxic load. Everyone is exposed to some level of xenoestrogens; it’s impossible to completely avoid them. Thus, it’s important to emphasize the benefit of small, consistent reductions of exposure, and not to overwhelm our clients. And, as…
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Happy Holidays! The holiday season is finally among us, and it’s the perfect time to celebrate by sharing the women’s health love with your friends and family (plus, get a little something for you!) Here at IWHI we’re picky about the products we recommend. We are personally connected with each of the small businesses we support, and use the products ourselves. This year our holiday focus is on women’s immune…
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Celery juice, the hottest new instagram trend for solving all of your health problems, is probably ridiculous, right? That's what I thought, until I looked at the published literature on the specific health benefits of celery. Let's consider why some people are actually experiencing symptom reduction when starting their day with celery juice... Benefits of Celery Juice and Eating Celery 1. Celery juice has significant antioxidant effect: Celery root water…
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Conventional creams and pills don’t address what causes acne. Acne is a common problem for teens. Eighty-five percent of 12-24 year olds experience acne. And, it’s a growing problem for 15% of adult women. For most women with acne, whether it’s in their teens or beyond, the conventional recommendations for treatment are either hormonal birth control pills, topical benzoyl peroxide and/ or topical antibiotics. Topical Tretinoin (Retin-A), Isotretinoin (Accutane)…
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The world is waking up to the fact that everyday toxic exposures are not only real, but a big part of the rise in chronic health issues. In fact, it’s crystal clear that the connection between environmental toxin exposures and women’s health issues is incredibly strong. Health practitioners (and especially those who work with female patients) must become fluent in this topic so they can better support their clients and…
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Up to 80% of pelvic pain is related to endometriosis, and 176 million girls and women worldwide suffer from endometriosis. Helping women to overcome endometriosis requires a multidisciplinary, integrative approach. There is no silver bullet solution to endometriosis, but when we take a collaborative approach and dig until we find each patient’s individual healing recipe of therapies, mindsets, and support, healing is available. What is Endometriosis? Endometriosis is a…
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The Healthy Sperm Diet Male infertility is rarely discussed. But, it's as common as female infertility. Generally, the cause of infertility for a couple is 30% a male infertility factor, 30% female, and 30% both or undetermined. Good nutrition can reduce male infertility risk, improve sperm health, and support more stable genetic material in the sperm. A whole-foods, plant-based diet, rich in a variety of vegetables, fruits, and antioxidants are…
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Functional Nutrition Treatment Options for Vulvodynia and IBS When the pain of vulvodynia hits - the painful sex, the pain with wearing tight pants, the pain with just sitting through a movie! - you just want it gone. Fortunately, by taking an integrative approach and getting to the root cause of your vulvodynia, it's possible to relieve your pain for the long term! You might have heard of seeking specialized…
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Chronic Pelvic Pain and Autoimmunity... Is there a connection? In my practice, many of my patients who struggle with chronic pelvic pain also have autoimmune conditions. Even those who don't have clear autoimmune diagnoses, often have autoimmune issues - such as intestinal barrier inflammation, food sensitivities, immune hyper-responsiveness, and chronic inflammation. In this interview with Dr. Terry Wahls, we discussed her approach to reversing autoimmune disease, and the connections between…
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