This week on the Health Made Simple Show, I’m going to start with some clinical insights. I saw a 63-year-old female patient who’s so sweet you just want to hug her. She told me she’d been dealing with a chronic cough for nearly ten years! She said she’d been to every specialist there is and she was just learning to live with it.

This is where the relationship between doctor and patient is so important. You need a doctor who’s going to ask a lot of questions and address you as a whole person. I know there are three things that usually cause a chronic cough: immune issues, trauma, and food sensitivities. I also know that trauma can be physical, mental, and chemical. Further, we can break down emotional trauma into finances, family, and moving.

It’s only with a doctor who is going to take this time with you that you can dig this deeply into addressing issues. When we talked about family trauma, I hit a button. As it turns out, she had to put a child into rehab about 10 years ago and the cough started right after that. There is was. This is why the ability to have a conversation with your doctor is critical. This patient is now on the road to recovery simply because we had the time to dive deeply into her life

Watch the live show below:

Next, I saw a 26-year-old female. She’s a crossfitter with a diet better than most, but still not perfect. She came in with a fair amount of acne but massive brain fog, to the point where she can barely remember what she did yesterday. We decided to do a flat-out elimination diet, starting with dairy, gluten, soy, and canola oil and also eliminating alcohol. The truth is, when you drink alcohol, most of those other things are coming back in your life anyway. When she came back to see me, she was 10 pounds lighter with no acne and absolutely glowing. And all we did was eliminate, we haven’t even started to repair yet! It’s amazing what the body does when you listen to it. She told me after 30 days, she knows she’s never going back

Lastly, I saw a 34-year-old mom who gained 12 pounds during Covid. That may not be a lot to some people, but for her it was and it affected her physically and emotionally. Even though the was doing plenty of cardio, you simply can’t outrun a bad diet. And you certainly can’t starve it and outrun it. When you have inflammation, adding even a little bit of gluten is like throwing gasoline on that fire. Same with dairy and processed foods. Most importantly though, she had to fight the frustration. You can’t lose weight when you’re angry. You cannot be mean to yourself in the process. You java to use words that your body and mind can appreciate and get yourself into a healthy headspace to lose weight.

Now, on to this week’s questions!

1. I’m a woman entering perimenopause, how can I increase my testosterone levels?

The strategies actually aren’t much different between men and women. It’s just about supply and demand. If you’re using your muscles, you body sends signals to create more testosterone. While chronic cardio can actually lower testosterone, intentional muscle movements over short durations can create a surge of hormones. One of the biggest killers of testosterone is insulin resistance, so we need to be sure we’re eating right, getting essential amino acids, and good proteins. The number one key, though, is sleep. 

2. Do you have any natural sunscreen protocols?

Instead of sunscreen, I want to think about sun protection. We need to get stronger and create better skin to manage the sun. The fact that we have a big, unavoidable sun put there by a Creator, means that there must be something we should be getting out of it. Lathering up and protecting ourselves from the sun can actually be bad for the skin long term. Chemicals like oxybenzone which is in most sunscreens downregulate us on a cellular level. The skin has a direct portal to the liver which dumps things into our bloodstream. So what do we do? What protects your skin is calcium. We use a very absorbable version called Calcium Lactate. You can use Cataplex F to get the calcium from the bloodstream into the tissue. Then, we add Cataplex C to bind and strengthen the tissue. 

If you’re looking for a natural alternative to sunscreen, I use a great one called a long-sleeved shirt and a hat!

3. It’s been unseasonably warm, is there anything I should do to prepare for working outside?

Be smart, be safe, and please protect your pets. Electrolytes are the name of the game. People pass out because their electricity shuts off. Sodium, potassium, magnesium, and chloride, are the keys. It’s also important that you don’t complain about it! Don’t pile on mentally to what’s happening physically. It’s a great way to find out where you are and in what ways you need to toughen up. Remember, one of the signs of being dehydrated is that you don’t feel thirsty, so you need to just keep drinking regardless of how you are feeling. Fruits are great for electrolytes too. 

4. Since cleansing with you in January, I’ve been staying away from eggs because they sit heavy in my stomach. Is this food sensitivity?

It could be and you may have never noticed it before because you’ve never been clean. Eggs are a common food people are sensitive to. Eggs can also be related to liver issues, so that’s something to watch out for as well. Some foods may be great, but if they’re not for you, then they’re not for you. 

And last but not least, this week’s action to become superhuman is…

Pick and Choose Your Health Team

You just have to keep searching. There are a lot of amazing people out there practicing functional medicine, you just need to find your people. Be mindful of who you lean on.

What’s Next?

We have put together a dashboard of all of Dr. Bart’s videos, based on health topics, in our Level-Up Health Membership.

This library of health content is low cost, so we can help you on your journey to becoming superhuman! 

Not only is it extensive, but it will continue to expand with new videos each month. Also, you will have the opportunity to share these videos with your friends and family!

Dr. Bart Precourt

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