Feeling Tired, Moody, or Just Off? 🤔

Feeling tired, moody, or off? 🤔

Read this ⬇️ for 5 common nutrient deficiencies and how they show up.

Modern food systems, lifestyle habits, and even stress can deplete nutrients from our bodies.

Plus, things like gut health or medications can interfere with how we absorb the nutrients we eat.

For example:

✨Magnesium

Magnesium is known as the ‘great relaxer,’ but nearly 50% of people don’t get enough.

Low magnesium can contribute to muscle cramps, anxiety, or restless nights.

✨ Vitamin B12

Needed for energy and brain health, those following a vegan diet or with gut health issues are at risk of low levels.

Low vitamin B12 can contribute to fatigue, numbness, or memory problems.

✨ Iron

Iron carries oxygen through your blood. It can be depleted by heavy or frequent periods.

Low iron can cause anemia, leaving you pale, tired, or short of breath.

✨Vitamin D

Although your body can synthesize vitamin D when exposed to sunshine ☀️, low levels are common.

Low vitamin D can contribute to thinning bones, compromised immune function, and low mood.

✨Zinc

Zinc is needed for immune health and wound healing.

Low zinc can show up as frequent colds, slow healing, or even changes in taste or smell.

So, what’s next?

These are just a few examples of how nutrient deficiencies can impact your health. But everyone’s needs are different.

That’s why we take a personalized approach 🙌🏽

With advanced labs and individualized guidance, we help uncover what’s missing so you can feel your best.

Ready to get started? Schedule a new patient visit with Dr. Cantrell!

Are You Making These Heart Health Mistakes?

Sometimes what seems healthy might not be helping. Here are 3 common heart health mistakes:

1️⃣ Only Doing Cardio

Cardio is great, but mix it up! Strength training boosts blood sugar control, and high-intensity bursts are linked to better heart health.

2️⃣ Low-Fat Diet

Low-fat diets aren’t the answer. Healthy fats (like avocado and olive oil) fight inflammation and support cholesterol levels. Plus, “low-fat” foods are often packed with extra sugar.

3️⃣ Stressing Out

Stress is not a badge of honor. It triggers cortisol release and can raise blood pressure over time.

Want better ways to support heart health?

✨ Mix up your workouts with strength, cardio, and HIIT

✨ Add heart-loving fats like avocado and salmon

✨ Find ways to de-stress and prioritize sleep

How do you support your heart health?

Wired but Tired?

Ever get to the end of the day and just crash?

Or maybe you feel “wired but tired”—as if your nervous system is ramped up and yet you have nothing left to give.

The problem *might* be that you aren’t giving your nervous system any chance to rest and reset throughout the day.

I get it!

Society expects us to be going non-stop.

It’s just that our bodies (and especially our nervous systems) were not built for that.

One of the best ways to support nervous system regulation is to build in periods of intentional rest to your day.

This can look different for different people.

You might:

✨ get up from your desk every hour to stretch

✨ set reminders to close your eyes for two minutes and breathe

✨ allow 5 extra minutes on your lunch break to sit in your car and listen to music

The point is to schedule rest breaks into your day.

These breaks act like a reset button for your nervous system so that you won’t feel so fried at the end of the day.

Have you tried this? What’s your experience?

Nervous System Resilience

📣 This is important. 📣

Your nervous system is constantly responding to inputs.

Sometimes those inputs are regulating—like listening to calming music or going for a walk in nature.

Sometimes those inputs are dysregulating—like being yelled at or seeing fear-based news in your feed.

There are really 2 ways to go about regulating your nervous system:

1️⃣ One way is in the moment: When you notice you are triggered, take a moment to step away and take some deep breaths.

2️⃣ The other way is daily practice: Make it part of your routine to send signals of safety to your nervous system.

Some practices you could choose to do are:

✨ Deep breathing (this is one of the best ways to activate the vagus nerve and reset the nervous system)

✨ Mindful movement (you can shake, stretch, dance, or do anything that releases tension from the body)

✨ Intentional rest (meaning rest on purpose—not only when you’re completely exhausted)

If you commit to just ONE of these things and make it part of your routine, I promise that your nervous system will thank you.

Make sure you're following us to learn more about regulating your nervous system!

#elementsnatmed #nervoussystem #nervoussystemregulation #stressmanagement #nervoussystemhealing

New Way to Understand the Gut Microbiome 🦠

New research on the gut microbiome 🦠

If you’re interested in a root-cause approach to health, we’re inevitably going to have to talk about the gut microbiome!

Now researchers at Rutgers University have given us a new way to talk about this.

They call it the “Core Microbiome”—the crucial group of microbes that play a role in digestion, immune function, and even mental health.

Using advanced A.I., the researchers determined that the Core Microbiome consists of:

1️⃣ The Foundation Guild

Helpful bacteria that break down dietary fibers to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and keep harmful bacteria in check.

2️⃣ The Pathobiont Guild

Needed in small amounts to “educate” the immune system, these microbes can drive disease if they become dominant.

This doesn’t change our root-cause approach to care, where gut health is always part of the conversation, but it does give us a new and creative way to describe it!

What do you think?

Does it help to think of the “Core Microbiome” as two guilds working together? 😊

REFERENCE:
Wu G, Xu T, Zhao N, et al. A core microbiome signature as an indicator of health. Cell. Published online October 7, 2024. [link]