Author: Dr. Debra Muth
What you need to know about food allergies and weight management
Many patients who come to our alternative medicine clinic near Milwaukee are surprised when we talk to them about food allergies and weight management. Food allergies may be the culprit behind many of their weight problems. Our team identifies the foods they need to eliminate from their diets with allergy testing and a rotation/elimination diet.
Eliminating inflammation is the key to food allergies and weight management
It’s important to understand the connection between inflammation, food allergies and weight management. When you eat a food that causes food allergies or food sensitivities, it causes inflammation. Inflammation causes several problems. It causes bloating, water retention and other digestive issues. Inflammation also causes insulin resistance, causing your body to produce higher levels of insulin. This can lead to weight gain.
Uncovering your food allergies
Allergy testing is the first step to address food allergies and weight management. Our alternative medicine clinic near Milwaukee offers three types of food allergy testing.
- Rotation/elimination diet. You will need to keep a food diary to record your reactions as you eliminate certain foods, usually for 14 days. After that, you reintroduce the foods, and if you have an allergy, you will notice adverse reactions and know to eliminate that food from your diet.
- Oral challenge testing. The tester feeds you certain foods in measured amounts, waiting to see if you develop symptoms. If you do have a reaction, you stop eating that food. This test helps diagnose food allergies.
- IgG testing. Our practitioners perform IgG testing by taking a blood sample. This test checks for 50 or more food allergies.
Weight management is more successful once food allergies are diagnosed
Once you know which foods cause you problems, you can eliminate them from your diet. Avoiding these foods eliminates the inflammation in the body that is causing your insulin resistance and weight gain.
Our alternative medicine clinic near Milwaukee can help you with food allergies and weight management and individualized weight loss. Contact us for an appointment today and get on the road to good health.
Managing Holiday Stress
Managing holiday stress – Tips for 12 or more days of bliss-mas
Managing holiday stress can help you experience more of the joy of the season and less of the humbug. The staff at our alternative medicine clinic near Milwaukee has some tips to help you survive and thrive during the holiday season.
Your guide to managing holiday stress
It’s probably unrealistic to say that you can get through the holidays without any stress, but we believe managing holiday stress is within your reach.
- Take a cue from the partridge in a pear tree, the turtle doves, the French hens and the maids a milking. Focus on a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, lean protein, dairy and whole grains. Don’t go overboard on sweet treats.
- Mimic the four calling birds and call a friend. Get together with people who make you happy, but don’t cause you stress. Do it because it’s fun, not because it’s an obligation.
- The geese a laying weren’t really lying around, but you should be. Rest is a wonderful way of managing holiday stress. Short naps are good for your health, and it’s also very important to get good sleep each night.
- Imitate the swans a swimming, the ladies dancing and the lords a leaping. Even though you think you’re too busy to exercise, it’s important to make time for some form of stretching, cardio or strength training each day.
- Take a hint from the pipers and the drummers. Play, sing or listen to music. Music is a proven way of managing holiday stress and calming your nerves.
- Don’t forget to stop and enjoy the sparkling beauty of golden rings, silver lights and the other beautiful sights of the season. A positive attitude and feelings of gratitude can help alleviate stress.
We’re here to help with holiday stress
If you are having difficulty managing holiday stress, see the providers at our alternative medicine clinic near Milwaukee. We provide treatments and therapies that can help.
- Nutrition advice and supplements
- Advice about food allergies
- Alternative therapies, such as massage therapy
- Help with sleep problems
Our alternative medicine providers work with people who need help managing holiday stress or daily anxiety. Contact our alternative medicine clinic near Milwaukee for an appointment.
Food Allergies and the Holidays
Tips for food allergies and the holidays
At our alternative medicine clinic near Milwaukee, food allergies and the holidays are a big concern for parents. Holiday celebrations mean more homemade treats, more meals out and more worries. If your child has food allergies, our tips can help you navigate this time of year.
Food allergies and the holidays at school
You might be especially concerned about food allergies and the holidays when your children go to holiday parties at school. It’s important to have a conversation with your child’s teacher about food allergies and ways to keep your child safe.
It helps to provide written guidelines that the teacher may copy and provide to other parents. You can also provide treats that are allergy-safe to ensure that your child will have something they can enjoy during parties. You should also talk to your children about food allergies and the holidays, emphasizing that they should not eat other children’s snacks or treats.
Tips for hosting a safe celebration at home
Hosting holiday celebrations at home can give you peace of mind because you can ensure that the food is safe and has not been cross-contaminated. Cooking at home makes it easy to provide safe food for the celebration. You can place dishes from family and friends in a separate area to ensure that children with food allergies do not eat those foods.
Important information for parents and children who are away from home
Meals eaten away from home raise additional concerns about food allergies and the holidays.
- You should discuss your child’s allergies with the host, detailing the trigger foods.
- It helps to offer to assist the host by bringing dishes that are safe for your child to eat or helping to create an allergy-safe menu.
- To ensure your child’s dinner is safe, ask to make your child’s plate before other guests fill theirs to ensure that there is no cross-contamination.
Food allergies and the holidays do raise concerns, but with proper precautions, families can enjoy themselves and stay safe. For diagnosis and treatment of food allergies, contact our alternative medicine clinic near Milwaukee. Parents can also go to Serenity’s Kitchen to find allergy-safe recipes.
Fall Happy Breasts Events
Coming up in September and October we will be holding our annual Ins & Outs for Happy Breasts event.
Do you know any women that have received repeat breast biopsies? Do you know women that are looking for alternatives to traditional breast health? If so, please consider sharing this information with them. If not, please consider having copies of these flyers in your office for women to take. Our goal with this event is to 1. Be proactive in breast health and 2. Educate as many women on their options for breast health.
This event is a 2-part series, but you don’t need to attend both. The first part is our Girls Night Out. This is a time to get a group of girls together, enjoy a glass of wine with some snacks as we provide an educational evening on breast health.
Dr. Muth Talks to Kenosha News About Lyme Disease
Nancy Carlson: ‘The little bite cost me quite a lot’ says Hawthorn Hollow naturalist.
By JULIA FAIR Kenosha News.com Aug 22, 2017
A tick clung to Nancy Carlson’s hip after a workday spent outside in 2013.
It wasn’t abnormal.
“I pull ticks off all the time, it’s not a big deal,” Nancy Carlson, a naturalist at Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum on Green Bay Road, said.
She was taught as a naturalist that a bull’s-eye rash should raise concern about contracting Lyme disease. When she was bitten, it never appeared.
Weeks later joint pains and flu symptoms took over her body. She tested positive for Lyme and was prescribed antibiotics.
“But it wasn’t enough,” Carlson said. “After that I was never better.”
Breathing and heart issues landed Carlson in the hospital twice during her treatment, due to symptoms caused by the toxins building up in her body as the Lyme-causing bacteria deteriorated.
She saw a rheumatologist, an endocrinologist and a neurologist, trying to get the best treatment for her Lyme.
“None of those knew the truth about Lyme disease,” she said.
The average patient sees five doctors over two years before being diagnosed, according to the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, a nonprofit dedicated to educating the public and doctors about proper Lyme treatment. It also states 40 percent of Lyme patients end up with long-term health problems.
Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome
4 things you should know about Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome
Ask a group of people if they’ve ever heard of Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, and the answer is usually no. Traditional medical practitioners may not take this problem seriously or they may misdiagnose its symptoms. Here are four things the practitioners at our functional medicine clinic near Milwaukee think you should know about this misunderstood condition.
- What is Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome?
It’s a combination of illnesses or symptoms directly related to exposure to biotoxins like mold, bacteria, actinomycetes or mycobacteria. The exposure can occur through inhalation, a tick or spider bite, ingesting toxic substances or drinking contaminated water. Certain patients appear to have a genetic predisposition for Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome.
- What are the symptoms?
Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome can cause a wide variety of symptoms. Here is a sampling of what people experience:
- Weakness
- Aches and pains
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Sensitivity to light
- Blurred vision
- Respiratory problems
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Mood swings
- Difficulty concentrating
- Night sweats
- Increase or decrease in appetite
- Vertigo
- What are the most common misdiagnoses?
Patients with Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome who seek help from traditional medical practitioners are often misdiagnosed. These patients are commonly told they have fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome or irritable bowel syndrome, to name a few.
- How can I get an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment?
Traditional medical practitioners are not as familiar with Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome as functional medicine doctors are. At our functional medicine clinic near Milwaukee, we are experts in treating conditions caused by toxic mold and other problems that deal with biotoxins. We also provide many tests and treatments that the traditional medical community does not offer. For example, our clinic performs genetic testing to determine whether a patient is susceptible to Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. We also test for the biomarkers that are the hallmark of the condition.
Patients who come to our clinic exhibiting symptoms of Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome can expect a thorough diagnostic approach. Debra Muth, N.D., and her team are known for their medical detective work. They work together to explore every piece of the puzzle until they complete the picture and discover the true diagnosis behind your symptoms. This approach is critical when dealing with a complex problem like Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. Contact us for an appointment.
Lyme disease in Kenosha
Debra Muth, ND, is a Lyme Literate Practitioner treating Lyme disease in Kenosha
Lyme disease in Kenosha is a growing problem. The things we love about our state—the forests, farmlands and parks—provide a perfect environment for the infected tick population that transmits Lyme disease to people of all ages. People with Lyme disease in Wisconsin may also have to deal with co-infections such as: Babesiosis; Anaplasmosis; Tularemia; Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Powassan virus. Dr. Muth was recently interviewed in the Kenosha News to discuss her expertise and knowledge about Lyme disease in Kenosha.
Treating Lyme disease in Kenosha
People who think that they or their family member may be dealing with Lyme disease in Kenosha should give serious consideration to a practitioner’s level of expertise. Choosing a Lyme Literate Practitioner is a smart decision because Lyme disease is often misdiagnosed by conventional M.D.s who don’t see the disease very often. Debra Muth has undergone training with ILADs, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating Lyme disease awareness and educating health professionals.
Acute Lyme disease vs. chronic Lyme disease
Patients who suspect they have contracted Lyme disease in Kenosha need to understand the difference between acute and chronic Lyme disease. “Acute Lyme disease means a patient has been diagnosed and treated in six months or less after contracting the disease,” according to Dr. Muth. “Chronic Lyme disease means that a person hasn’t been diagnosed or treated within the first six months after they contracted the disease.” Many people don’t receive a diagnosis for months or years, and that can lead to many complications for patients with Lyme disease in Kenosha.
How we treat Lyme disease at our functional medicine clinic near Kenosha
Our approach to Lyme disease is multi-disciplinary, and treatment plans are individualized. Dr. Muth says, “We use a combination of antibiotics and herbal treatments at the same time. We find that it’s more effective this way. We also use biofeedback and detox to treat Lyme disease in Kenosha.”
Patients who are looking for a completely non-traditional approach that doesn’t include conventional medications may choose our Lyme Free program that employs many alternative therapies.
We know that Lyme disease in Kenosha is and will continue to be a problem, and we’re nearby to provide help. Contact us.
Inflammatory Illnesses
Inflammatory Illnesses
Inflammation is the underlying cause of several illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes, possibly cancer and inflammatory illnesses caused by biotoxins like toxic mold. Inflammation itself is not a bad thing. In fact, acute inflammation is the body’s normal response to an injury or illness. The body’s immune system employs inflammatory cells to fight bacteria and toxins.
The problem arises when the inflammatory response becomes chronic. The inflammatory cells can linger, causing problems such as plaque in the blood vessels or brain cells. The inflammatory response, which is meant to be short-term, begins working overtime when it becomes chronic, causing lingering symptoms and inflammatory illnesses.
People with inflammatory illnesses need to treat the underlying inflammation
People with allergies, fibromyalgia and other inflammatory illnesses often receive medical treatments from traditional medicine practitioners that ignore the underlying cause of a problem – inflammation. At our functional medicine clinic near Milwaukee, we don’t treat symptoms, we treat the whole person. We focus on treatments that help with inflammation.
Nutrition. Diet plays an important role in people with inflammatory illnesses. Our team tests patients for food sensitivities and helps create a personalized diet plan for each patient to address their needs and inflammation.
Supplements. At our functional medicine clinic, we believe in the power of high quality supplements, tailored to each person’s needs. Our practitioners have a unique understanding of the benefits of a myriad of herbs and supplements.
Alternative therapies. We offer alternative therapies that address inflammatory illnesses. For example, metabolic detoxification helps rid the body of toxins that may be causing inflammation.
Mold exposure causes inflammation
Toxic mold causes an immune-based response that involves inflammation of the blood and body tissues. Mold allergies and illnesses are often misdiagnosed or ignored by traditional medicine, but at our functional medicine clinic near Milwaukee, patients can finally find relief. Our team is highly experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of both acute and difficult-to-treat chronic illnesses caused by exposure to mold.
Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome is another underdiagnosed condition
Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome is one of the most under-recognized and underdiagnosed of all the inflammatory illnesses. This syndrome is a collection of symptoms and illnesses that occur when a person is exposed to biotoxins. Biotoxins may be inhaled, ingested or incurred from a tick or spider bite. Our functional medicine clinic has the tools to diagnose this complex syndrome.
Our team understands the complexities of inflammatory illnesses
Often, we see patients who have suffered from a vast array of symptoms for months or even years with no relief, primarily because the practitioners they have seen did not understand or look for inflammatory illnesses. This happens frequently when people have allergies, mold illnesses or Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. If you are suffering and need answers, contact us for an appointment at our functional medicine clinic near Milwaukee. We’re experts at solving medical puzzles.
Wellness at Your Fingertips
Wellness at Your Fingertips
I decided to put this together to let my family, friends, and followers see the healthcare professionals I surround myself with. Most are the actual practitioners (friends as well) that care for me. A few couldn’t commit to the writing a chapter, but I found other like-minded care providers to fill in. In the following pages you will read about some amazing people that care immensely about my health. Along the way you will get to hear why and what they do. I think you will find them absolutely amazing.
Please enjoy and if this resonates with you, use this model for your health practitioner team. Feel free to reach out to myself or anyone showcased in this e-book and share with those you feel may be interested in learning more about true healthcare.
Live well!
Frank