Hi Reader,

Happy Spring! It's still cold here in the Northeast, but the daffodils are blooming so spring MUST be coming!

Do you ever have pesky symptoms that bother you? That's really a trick question because everyone does as one time or another.

Well, I've always been one to want to dig in to find out why, and that's looking for what they call "the root cause".

Most quick fixes (ie. OTC medications) provide a bandaid, but it's really important to know WHY whatever it is that's happening, is happening.

You need to address the main issue (the root cause) so that it doesn't keep occurring.

So, today I thought I would give you a nice handy list of some root causes that I commonly see with my clients for several common symptoms, sound good?!

ACNE

Possible root causes: candida (yeast) overgrowth, gut bacteria imbalance, congested liver, too much testosterone, consuming oily snacks (ever wake up with acne on your chin after eating some buttery popcorn or salty chips?).

BLOATING

Possible root causes: gut bacteria imbalance, not breaking down protein, gluten intolerance, leaky gut, low stomach acid, too much estrogen, h. pylori, candida, mineral deficiencies.

CONSTIPATION

Possible root causes: not drinking enough water, sodium deficiency, medications, not enough fiber, stress, dairy consumption.

FATIGUE

Possible root causes: Poor nutrient absorption, mineral deficiency, not getting enough deep sleep, low testosterone, copper toxicity.

HEADACHES

Possible root causes: hormone imbalance, congested liver, high histamine.

POOR SLEEP

Possible root causes: too much blue light close to bedtime, alcohol consumption, low estrogen, low progesterone, congested liver, parasites.

STUBBORN WEIGHT

Possible root causes: hormone imbalance, toxin overload, congested liver, deep emotional issues not dealt with, poor food quality, gut bacteria imbalance, too much alcohol, congested lymph.

As you can see, many overlap and can cause multiple symptoms. This is why it can be challenging to know exactly which one specific root cause may be, and it may not be one, more likely, it may be several contributing to the issue.

This is why I love functional lab testing.

I use 4 main foundational lab tests with each of my clients:

• A GI Map - a stool test which looks at bacteria balance, protein and fat digestion, inflammation, yeast, viruses, parasites, immune strength, gluten reactions and enzyme levels.
• The DUTCH hormone test - which looks at hormone levels for estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and cortisol, plus how each hormone is being metabolized (did you know there's a protective pathway and a carcinogenic pathway for estrogen which is super important?).
• An HTMA - which is a hair trace mineral assessment, and shows mineral and heavy metal levels; these can give us info into thyroid function, blood sugar regulation, autonomic system function and much more.
• The MRT food sensitivity test - which tests your blood against 176 foods and food additives to see which trigger an inflammatory response.

Through gut, hormone and mineral testing, the patterns typically become clear where the imbalances are that need addressing.

Once we know where the imbalance is, we can start working on correcting it right away!

Do you have any of these pesky symptoms? If so, lab testing may be a great way for you to get data from your body!

Happy weekend!

Christa 😊

Christa Lyons, FDN-P, HHC ​
​Functional Health Practitioner

Phone 617-281-7271 Website ahealthyoption.com​

Email christa@ahealthyoption.com​

Download my free tips: "The Top 5 Ways to Banish Belly Bloat"​