Posts Tagged ‘seizures’

January 7th, 2016 Lynn

rc1Welcome to Advocate for Healing.  

My name is Lynn Altieri-Need and I have one mission:

to help families find the tools they need so they can heal

You may find me discussing through podcasts, webinars and blogging:   Kids Health 101, Nutrition for Seizures, Stress Hormones and digestion as my main focuses but you’ll see by my testimonials that my training as a functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner can help with nearly any symptom or illness that plagues an individual.   After all, I don’t treat the symptoms, I support the individual.  I don’t “guess”, I “test”. Come visit with me for a complimentary 30 minute consultation and be sure to sign up for updates on the right so you can be “in the know” of the most current knowledge available.



Posted in Digestive Issues, Kids Health 101, Nutrition for Seizures, Popular Articles, Womens Hormones Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments »

The best functional lab test for complex illnesses

January 6th, 2016 Lynn

I hear so often from my clients that they’ve visited their doctor and that their lab tests are ‘normal’ or that they can’t find anything wrong even though my clients feel like crap (Diagnosis code ‘FLC’!).  In the functional world of nutrition we are looking less at symptoms and more at systems.  Hormones, the Immune system, digestion, detoxification, and neurotransmitters.  We are interested in stress hormones, sex hormones, the integrity of the digestive system, the backbone to energy (your mitochondria), the maximum ability to detoxify, nutritional deficiencies, the absorption of fatty acids, and if there are infections present.  It’s a multi-faceted approach targeted at one interest:  

Identifying the internal stressors and what supports need to be put in place.  

There is one test that can assess all of the above.  It’s referred to as the Organic Acids Test and it measures metabolism and assesses the body’s absorption of key nutrients.  It’s been invaluable in the field of biomedical intervention for application with:

Children with autism
Anxiety,
ADD,
Colitis
Digestive Issues
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Neurological Disorders
Seizure disorders
Movement disorders
Multiple Sclerosis
Alzheimers
Tic Disorders
OCD
Fibromyalgia
and so much more.

The great news is this test can be done in the comfort of your own home, via urine.  The kit can be shipped and the results come to me to evaluate and discuss.  You can read more about an organic acids test here.  Please note, an organic acids test ordered through an allopathic physician does not offer the same detail that a functional organic acid test offers. 

If you are experiencing any of the above disorders or want more information please don’t hesitate to contact me.  Stay tune for a webinar on this subject.

Be well,

Lynn
 

Posted in Digestive Issues, Kids Health 101, Nutrition for Seizures, Popular Articles, Womens Hormones Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments »

Having GABA issues? There’s a link that you should know about…

July 23rd, 2015 Lynn

GABA is made in all neurons of the brain, is recycled through our energy systems (mitochondria) and aside from seretonin, is one of the major calming mechanisms built in the body. GABA is integrated into many of the anti epileptic drugs on the market and understood to play a factor into seizure disorders.

Glutamate, an amino acid, is recyled through the mitochondria using an enzyme (referred to as GAD, glutamate decarboxylase) and converted to GABA.  If the GAD enzyme is compromised or shunted, GABA is not produced which means, no calm.  Instead glutamate perpetuates and anxiety continues to climb.  This is not a good situation.  

Gluten intolerance and celiac disease create an autoimmune response that can attack the GAD enzyme mentioned above.  Again if the GAD enzyme is compromised or shunted, GABA cannot be made and anxiety builds.  There is no calm.  

Anxiety disorders are at an all time high.  Could a root cause be a gluten intolerance? Absolutely.  Depending on the time that the exposure has occurred can impact whether removing gluten is enough. Regardless, if you experience anxiety, entirely remove gluten.   As Dr. Tom O’Bryan states…’if you are a gluten intolerant you cannot consume even a little amount of gluten just like you can’t be a little bit pregnant’. 

Be well,

Lynn

Posted in Digestive Issues, Kids Health 101, Nutrition for Seizures, Popular Articles, Womens Hormones Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments »

Today is my son’s 10th birthday AND SB277 is reviewed.

June 9th, 2015 Lynn

I find most experiences in life to be “more than a coincidence”.  This is one of them.

As many of you know we celebrate nearly 4 years (July 24th is the true anniversary date) of my son, Koa, remaining seizure free.  No drugs, no medications, no ketogenic diet, no missing school.  I’m so proud of this little man: his resilience, his determination to understand the world and his loving ways.   I’m also beyond thrilled that he can lead a “normal” healthy life: attending school, participating in all sports (concrete or not!) playing, taking chances and discovering the world around him.    

Today is also the day that SB277 (the mandatory vaccine law) will appear in front of the State Assembly.  If it moves through the State Assembly it may become a reality that Koa will be mandated to be vaccinated IF he wants to attend public schools.  Yes, that is correct.  Even though Koa was diagnosed with Epilepsy, was given a grim prognosis and then recovered when we discovered his impaired detoxification pathways, the excuse is not permissable by a physician to avoid vaccines.  He will be mandated by a physician to acquire further vaccines, the physician will be exempt from liability, and Koa’s health would be endangered.  The only health exemptions authorized by a physician will be if:

1.  you have cancer and are undergoing chemotherapy

2. you have had an organ or blood cell transplant

3. You are one of a rare group diagnosed with Severe Combined Immune Deficiency

Today we celebrate Koa’s 10th birthday and his recovery.  And we celebrate that to date he has been able to lead a “normal life”.  Ironically, on this very day, we will find out if  public education remains an option for him or if we need to being exploring independent study.

P.S. There is concern about those not being vaccinated and the harm that they present to the masses that are.  Here’s a brief fact for you:

“In 2015, California reported 136 cases of measles. Of the cases with vaccination records, 30 percent had been vaccinated. Only 18 percent of the measles cases were in school-aged children, while 55 percent were in adults.86,87 In 2014, out of 8,200 pediatric cases of pertussis with vaccination records reported in California, 90 percent of the children had been vaccinated.88” – Dr. Mercola

Be well and let’s remember “First do no harm”,

Lynn

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Digestion has to do with allergies?

May 20th, 2015 Lynn

Food allergies (or sensitivities) occur because of three factors: nutritional, immune and inflammatory. Eating foods serves multiple purposes: to provide both macro and micronutrients for the functions of systems; support optimal function of the brain; provide fuel for the performance of the body and so on.  The processes that are involved to meet these purposes involves digestion and detoxification.   When exploring the three factors that contribute to allergies, digestion must be supported.

The digestive process begins in the mouth when food is chewed and mixed with saliva.  It’s then swallowed and travels into the stomach where acid then helps to break down the food particles.  These particles travels through the intestinal tract where digestive enzymes are activated and further breakdown the food particles.   At any one of these stages, there may be breakdowns that don’t allow the entire breakdown and absorption of nutrients.  Low stomach acid and low digestive enzymes can result in larger food particles.

When food is not completely broken down it creates partial proteins and other molecules that the immune system identifies as foreign invaders.  The immune system follows by attacking these proteins and molecules.  The end result is an allergic response.  An allergic response creates a chronic inflammatory response.  In general, inefficiencies within the digestive system can result in an allergic and inflammatory response and nutritional deficiencies.

Why the depletion of stomach acid and digestive enzymes, especially in children?  Medications, heavy metals, dysbiosis in the GI tract (can result from C-Section deliveries), refined foods, sugars, food allergies (not detected early), to name a few.

What to do?

Support the digestive system first, before adding other supplements.  Probiotics, essential fatty acids (low levels are correlated with allergies), stomach acid (if H.Pyroluria has been ruled out), digestive enzymes and a clean sugar free diet is necessary to improve the health of digestive system, reduce inflammation and reduce, if not stop, the allergic response.

Be well,

Lynn

Posted in Digestive Issues, Kids Health 101, Nutrition for Seizures, Popular Articles, Womens Hormones Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments »

Food sensitivities can resolve the most serious symptoms

April 20th, 2015 Lynn

I’ve written several posts on food sensitivities such as “I have all of these food sensitivities, now what?” and  a video presentation on “One man’s meat is another man’s poison” .  Latest research is revealing that those individuals suffering from food allergies become depleted in fatty acids.  Fatty acid deficiencies can result in neurological problems including dementia, Alzheimers, MS, ALS and so much more.  

I have a sub-practice entitled “Nutrition for Seizures” and I discovered an astounding medical journal summarizing research conducted in 1978 entitled “Oligoantigenic diet treatment of children with epilepsy and migraines”.  The results concluded that a total elimination diet STOPPED recurrent seizures in more than 55% of the children that exhibited symptoms other than seizures (migraines, abdominal symptoms, hyperkinetic behavior).  These results are astounding and yet little focus is directed on elimination diets or the identification of food sensitivities by neurologists.

Fortunately, understanding your food sensitivities can be easily done in the comfort of your own home by eliminating foods and then reintroducing them OR by doing an at-home finger prick test that will reveal a list of foods that you are sensitive to.

Be well,

Lynn

Posted in Digestive Issues, Kids Health 101, Nutrition for Seizures, Popular Articles, Womens Hormones Tags: , , , , , , No Comments »

What’s at the root of many problems?

July 15th, 2013 Lynn

Advocate for healingWhat’s at the root of many problems?

Inflammation.  Swelling, irritation and ultimately inflammation is at the source of many dis-eases.  Fibromyalgia, sinus problems, aches and pains, a compromised immune system, migraines and so much more result from inflammation.
Where does the inflammation come from you ask?  Inflammation results from one or several factors depending on the individual.
1. Sugar and refined foods.
2. Hidden food sensitivities.
3. Nutritional deficiencies.
4. Toxins including heavy metals.
5. Digestive issues (the gut is often referred to as ‘the second brain’.
6. Stress (emotional, trauma, social or work related)
7. Inadequate exercise.
8. Insufficient sleep.
9. Chronic infections (viruses, parasites,bacteria, fungus, etc).

Today, I’ll talk about sugar and refined foods.

Sugary and refined foods.  The average american eats about 159 pounds of sugar per year.  Eating sugar wreaks havoc on the stress hormones and provokes a surge of insulin and adrenaline putting the body on a long tumultuous roller coaster ride.  The body in a constant effort of trying to compensate for the sugar surges results in inflammation; inflammation that spreads throughout the body and can and will eventually inflame the brain.

I know. I’ve seen it first hand.  My 10 year old daughter who generally is a pleasant, energetic child lost the plot on Easter Sunday.  Following the departure of good friends, a raging temper tantrum ensued that lasted for at least one hour: stomping, screaming, lashing and more. I hadn’t seen one of these since she was a toddler.  A couple hours after the incident she apologized.  The next morning she woke up with a headache.  I helped her clean her room two days after the incident and discovered several opened,used sugar packets under her bed.  When I asked her what in the world were these doing there she then released the truth. Easter Sunday in the morning, her and a few friends ate from them.  Aha! She sheepishly acknowledged that the sugar explained her toddler-like rage that wildly took over her and the headache that she had the following morning.  Natural consequences work great for my daughter. Sugar + child = temper tantrum/headache.

Sugar significantly attributes to inflammation but there are more inflammatory markers to look at.    Hidden food sensitivities are the next topic of discussion, one of great importance. See you tomorrow!

Be well,

Lynn

 

Posted in Digestive Issues, Kids Health 101, Nutrition for Seizures, Popular Articles, Womens Hormones Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments »

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