WHAT TRULY HEAL CAN DO FOR YOU

Depression is a common illness worldwide, with more than 264 million people affected. In 2020 and now 2021, as we deal with the pandemic, racial injustice, loss of income, heightened stress levels and uncertainty, those numbers just keep going up. According to a study from September 2020, the prevalence of depression symptoms in the US was more than 3-fold higher during the pandemic compared to prior COVID. Specifically, individuals with lower social resources, lower economic resources (lockdowns), and greater exposure to stressors reported a greater burden of depression symptoms.
Struggling with depression? You’re not alone.
Embracing a functional medicine approach to mood disorders such as depression may provide some positive outcomes.

We live in a microbial world, which means that we constantly encounter microorganisms that could harm our health. The immune system forms the body’s entire department of defence. With so much fear in the world surrounding microbes, the goal of this article is to regain some trust and respect for the incredible job our body does each and every day. Once we know how the immune system works, we can then address some of the causes of a poor immune system as well as take a few natural supplements!

The last few decades have witnessed a sharp rise in the incidence of several lifestyle disorders including diabetes, hypertension, heart attacks, and stroke. It has been found that the number of people living with two or more chronic conditions is increasing at an alarming rate.
There is a need to understand the pathogenesis that underlies the development of comorbidities so that the implications of multiple co-morbidities can be avoided…

“The art of breath awareness is mindfulness in action, bringing us promptly back into the present moment: the moment in which all magic and transformation happens; the only moment we have. The past is gone and our future is not guaranteed. We must breathe our breath of life, right now.” – Meredith Gaston

Your liver can neutralize a wide range of toxins including chemicals, heavy metals, and metabolites that are produced internally as well as those entering the body from the environment. When the hepatic detoxification pathway becomes compromised symptoms of liver congestion can arise and generalised congestion may occur in the other eliminatory channels….

Heavy metal toxicity has been proven to be a major threat to our health. It poses several health risks by creating a toxic effect on vital organs such as the brain, heart, muscles, bones, gut, and so on.
Though heavy metals do not perform any biological role in the body’s functioning, they tend to remain in the tissues in some or the other forms causing harm…

The root cause of all autoimmune diseases is the same: your immune system, which is supposed to protect you from invading microorganisms, turns against you and attacks your cells instead. Depending on which cells or proteins are attacked, this determines the type of autoimmune disease.
Recent years have witnessed a sharp rise in the incidence of autoimmune conditions possibly due to the increased exposure to factors that can trigger the development of these diseases…

A quick fix is something that we all crave… whether it’s getting rid of your cold, or losing weight, or treating any chronic disease. We are always looking for a quick fix that will address the problem immediately without the need for us to put in much time or effort.
Sound familiar?
Question is… do these “quick fixes” actually get you long-term results? Are they sustainable?

“Hi, I’d love to hear your views on chemotherapy. Are you pro or anti-chemotherapy?”
My answer? I’m neither.
Confused with that answer? That’s exactly what this article is all about!
Chemotherapy is one of the conventional treatments recommended for patients with cancer. However, it is important to weigh the benefits of Chemotherapy against the risks it poses to be able to make the right decision…

Your poo habits can provide you with some very valuable information. Yes, I know this subject is still a little uncomfortable for some, but it’s just something you will have to get used to talking about. Your bowel motions can tell you a lot about the balance of bacteria in your gut, whether your body is detoxifying toxins properly, or how you are absorbing nutrients!
So, what does it mean when we have constipation?

It is commonly observed that some people tend to be more prone to develop health issues like infections and allergies more commonly than others.
Also, some people tend to develop more severe symptoms of infections or other diseases while some develop very mild symptoms that often require no treatment. These variations in the incidence of diseases could be explained with the help of the Terrain Theory vs Germ Theory.

Measuring your homocysteine levels is recommended for the early diagnosis of several disorders. The abnormal levels of homocysteine in the blood could provide insights into the potential risks of developing certain diseases.
In healthy circumstances homocysteine is broken down, however factors such as nutritional deficiencies, certain medications or conditions can lead to excess homocysteine levels. High homocysteine has been linked to various health issues such as atherosclerosis, stroke, diabetes complications, neurological diseases, osteoporosis, depression, erectile dysfunction and pregnancy complications…

ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) or commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease is one of the most dreaded, progressive neurodegenerative diseases that impact motor neurons. It is a slow but steady decline where the brain loses connection with your muscles resulting in an inability to eat, talk, walk, before eventually paralyses and respiratory failure take place.
In loving memory of Frank.
This article was inspired by a vibrant and beautiful family friend, Frank who passed away from ALS in 2020.
Here is a brief discussion about what ALS means and how the functional approach to the treatment of this condition can provide natural support to ease the symptoms.

Hashimoto’s Disease is a common thyroid disorder known to cause disturbances in thyroid functions. Hashimoto’s disease is a thyroid condition that occurs due to the abnormal response of the immune cells to the thyroid gland.
The thyroid is a small gland located at the base of the neck. The thyroid gland is a part of the neuroendocrine system responsible for regulating metabolic processes and the body’s response to stress. The primary function of this gland is to secrete thyroid hormones including T3 and T4. It also plays a critical role in is regulating the functions of the endocrine system…

We tend to take the strength of the bones for granted without realizing that bone is living tissue, which, just like any other tissue in our body, constantly undergoes degeneration and renewal. Bones have many functions including providing structural support for your body and vital organs.
Osteoporosis is a degenerative disease of the bones which can occur due to aging, inactivity, hormonal imbalances, certain medications, steroids, emotional stress, low vitamin D levels and nutritional deficiencies.
Here is a detailed discussion about what osteoporosis means, why it occurs, and the functional approach to the treatment of this condition.

Acupuncture has been helping people heal for thousands of years. From daily stress to complex health conditions, acupuncture is a simple treatment that offers a natural source of relief and restoration.
Despite centuries of using acupuncture and witnessing its benefits, one question remains: how does acupuncture work?
Let’s dive deeper into the world of acupuncture to understand this unique therapy better. What’s the magic and science behind acupuncture, and could it help you find your true health?

Migraine is a chronic complex disorder potentially caused due to the interactions between genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Here is a brief analysis of the common causes of migraines and the effective ways to eliminate them. Migraine is a neurological disorder known to cause multiple symptoms. It is characterized by severe debilitating headaches.
The symptoms may include vomiting, nausea, difficulty in speaking, numbness and tingling in the hands, and increased sensitivity to sound and light. Migraine can affect people of all ages and has been found to run in families indicating it could be genetically linked…

Have you ever had a big boozy night out? Tried out a few drugs or dabble every now and again in recreational drugs? Most people who drink or experiment with recreational drug use will never develop a problem or become an addict.
The big question we have to wonder is when does this recreational drug “use” transform into drug “abuse”, and when does it further develop into drug “addiction”?
There are some drugs that are toxic to our brain. The use of these drugs can lead to functional and structural changes in the vital organs resulting in immense neurological damage.

Asthma is one of the most common chronic inflammatory disorders affecting the air passages. Atopic diseases are a group of diseases linked by a shared underlying problem with the immune system. Asthma is one of the atopic diseases – including eczema and allergic rhinitis. That’s why most individuals who show one form of these atopic diseases like asthma also suffer from eczema for example.
The inflammation present in asthma is understood as being drive­­­­n by airway hyper-responsiveness, which may lead to longer term airway remodelling and potential long-term damage…

Chronic inflammation is a classic example of too much of a good thing. While inflammation is meant to be a helpful process that protects the body from harm, when it gets out of control or lingers for too long, damage and illness results.
Here, we’ll explore inflammation in depth to better understand what inflammation is, what causes chronic inflammation, and how you can prevent or heal disease by directly addressing the root causes of inflammation.

Lyme disease, or borreliosis, is a common vector-borne disease that occurs due to the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. In rare cases, Lyme disease may occur due to being infected by Borrelia mayonii. Lyme disease is a multisystem infection that often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that up to 300,000 new cases of Lyme disease are diagnosed a year. Considering how often Lyme disease goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, this number is likely a wild underestimation…

When you think of the “gut” what comes to mind? Most people think of the stomach and other digestive organs. They may think of issues like nausea, constipation, or bloating. Some may even think of “gut instinct” or a “gut reaction.”
In reality, the gut is so much more than just where you digest your food. The gut is home to your microbiome (the vast ecosystem of microbiotas that help you digest, defend, and protect) and your enteric nervous system (an interconnected neural web that connects your gut to the central nervous system).
Let’s learn more about the humble gut and see how it interacts with a few key body systems.

Truly Heal has always had a mission to help others make real change and transformation in their lives. We know how debilitating chronic disease can be, which is why we have spent years traveling the world, searching and testing the world’s best therapies, medical systems, and holistic treatments that get to the root of illness.
Thankfully, our travels have led us to discover some amazing therapies that offer real results. We studied with doctors, visited clinics, and learned from specialists about the vast variety of therapies.

Parasitic infections are very common across all countries in the world. Amoebiasis, hookworm infection, ascariasis, and trichuriasis are among the most common parasitic infections affecting humans. Though the risk of mortality due to these infections is relatively low, complications are not uncommon. Malabsorption, impaired work productivity, bloating and gut dysfunction, blood loss, and reduced growth rate are just a few of the health concerns linked to parasitic infections….

With over 60% of our body made up of water, staying hydrated with clean, fresh H20 is a high priority! Still, many people don’t drink the recommended amount of water (or have a healthy source of water) each day. Unfortunately, many water sources contain hidden toxins that can be detrimental to our health. Here we’ll dive deeper into the importance of water, key factors to consider, and how we can make smarter choices when it comes to staying healthy and hydrated.

Do you suffer from hair loss? Accelerated ageing? Weight loss issues? Neurological diseases? Depression and/or anxiety? Autoimmune diseases? Delayed healing? Reduced joint function or pain? Lack of energy? Thyroid issues? Poor sleep? Among others?
Chances are you have one or more of the conditions listed in this article. In fact, I can almost guarantee it.
This article is about a powerful therapy that beneficially impacts all of the above, known as red and near infrared light therapy….

Sadly, sunscreen may not be the healthy solution to sun exposure we thought it was. While it can protect you from damaging rays, many sunscreen brands contain toxins that pose plenty of other health risks, often outweighing the benefits.

In this article, we’ll review the basics of skin health and sunshine to expose some of the unhealthy toxins that you might find in your sunscreen – and their damaging effects. Then, we’ll learn about some healthy alternatives so you can enjoy your time in the sun while keeping your skin safe!

The kidneys are vital organs of the body that help in the removal of toxins, waste products, and excess fluids from our blood through urine. When we have too much waste or toxins or not enough fluid in the blood, this can lead to a build-up of waste in the system. The result? Kidney stones.
In this article, we will discover the underlying mechanisms behind kidney stone formation, as well as some unique lifestyle and dietary suggestions to help you prevent kidney stones in the future…

Fear is one of the most natural and universal human emotions. We evolved with a potent fear response to keep us healthy, safe from harm, and alive. Yet, most of us feel negatively about fear. We want to hide from it, escape it, and ultimately live a life free from fear.
So, is fear a friend or a foe? Here we’ll dive deeper into fear and how it impacts our health and daily lives. Then, we’ll review a few simple steps that help us live better with fear – and even learn from it, too!

So what exactly does this seductively sweet drug called “sugar” do to our bodies? There is bountiful evidence which indicates significant roles for both insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction in the pathogenesis and evolution of type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance is often present in your body years before diabetes is diagnosed. This reflects a diminished response to insulin in its key target tissues and has been shown to predict the development of the condition…

If you’re striving for optimal health, you cannot ignore your lung health. In fact, lung health is absolutely critical for a well-functioning body. To better understand the crucial role your lungs play in your immune health, let’s first take a moment to visualise the lungs inside your body. The lungs sit in the chest and are filled with tiny structures called alveoli. These small air sacs are surrounded by tiny blood vessels called capillaries which allow for the exchange of two gases…

Only a few generations ago, the children that suffered from autism were sent away to psychological institutions. Today, the CDC reported that approximately 1 in 54 school aged children within the USA are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Autism remains to be one of the least understood and most controversial diseases from the elusive cause to the treatment options. There is no easy answer to this complex and multifaceted condition…

The old has passed away, behold the new has come. Although you may inch towards seniority with reluctance, in essence it is those wonderful senior years which bring forth a new and beautiful chapter of your life. There is no greater gift than living these years healthy and worrisome free. Nonetheless it is true, that ageing can bring about numerous health issues due to the fact alone that most of our organ systems decrease in function.

Have your bathroom habits felt more urgent lately? Do you worry about finding a restroom in time? Do you feel like your bladder is out of control? There can be many factors that affect urination on a day to day basis, but if your sudden urges have become a regular occurrence, it may be time to consider overactive bladder.
Overactive bladder is far from rare. In fact, the Urology Care Foundation estimates that over 33 million people in the United States manage an overactive bladder on a daily basis.

Our oral health influences our physical and mental health, and believe it or not, vice versa.

A universal view of ones wellbeing must encompass all aspects of health, this includes oral health to be truly holistic. Research is advancing in the connections between certain chronic conditions and oral health, although it is often overlooked in conventional medicine. Perhaps this is due to the disjointed approach to treatment of symptoms without viewing the body as comprehensive whole.

The human microbiome is a collection of trillions of microorganisms which populate your intestines. Your microbiome is essentially its very own complex ecosystem. Although the microbiome consists of a diverse range of microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, fungi, protozoa and viruses), it is primarily populated with bacteria which are located in your gut.

As a society, we’ve turned most things into a trend and this includes HEALTH. The modern trend of “being healthy” is often an expensive endeavour, time consuming, misleading and frequently changing. I think it’s great to be actively involved in your own health, to set realistic goals however getting too tied up in what’s popular right now can be exhausting and dangerous for your health. So, why is it important to tell the difference between a trend and what can actually improve your health status?

We all know to avoid mould on our food, but how often do you think about mould in your home? We may look out for the tell-tale signs of mould growth, but the presence of mould is not always marked clearly with big black spots or a musty smell. Staying alert and preventing the growth of mould may be more important than you realise. Mould and mycotoxins are responsible for causing a host of respiratory symptoms, compromising the immune system, and leading to widespread damage and inflammation….

In our modern world, I believe an important question that we should start to ask is whether the constant exposure to technology and artificial light could actually be the cause of our health complaints?How often do you sit in front of a computer? How often do you look at your phone during the day and at night? Do you also have a tablet which you use? How often do you watch TV? Or simply sit at home with the lights on?

Placebo and nocebo effects are powerful and pervasive in any health coaching or clinical practice. Placebo effects are the expectation of a positive outcome and can indeed trigger beneficial results. Compared to nocebo effect which is the negative expectation of an outcome. This negative expectation can undeniably cause harmful outcomes or lead to the worsening of a symptom.
Our mind and body consist in a complex and bi-directional axis constantly communicating with one another…

Parkinson’s disease robs millions of people of their quality of life every day – could there be a better solution to this destructive condition?
While conventional medicine has provided pharmaceutical and surgical options for managing the symptoms, these treatments typically offer little hope and many side effects. Thankfully, there is an alternative way to approach Parkinson’s disease: Functional Medicine.

Fatigue is a common ailment affecting millions of people worldwide. Unfortunately, the root causes of chronic fatigue have evaded modern medical practitioners for years. Besides resulting from other illnesses or nutritional deficiencies, the causes of fatigue remain unidentified and therefore go untreated. Due to the elusive nature of fatigue, pinpointing specific causes for patients can be challenging and time-consuming. All too often, patients make multiple visits to various healthcare providers, leaving them with too many bills..

Each and every day you are exposed to specific chemicals that impact your endocrine and hormonal systems. Although that isn’t good news, far from it, but once you know and understand what changes can be made to limit your exposure you ultimately have the power to take action… The plastic water bottle you drink from? It definitely contains endocrine disruptors. The carpet or couch you are sitting on? It is likely releasing harmful particles too.

Between 6% and 10% of women, in reproductive years, and 20-50% of women with infertility problems are affected by endometriosis.
Most common among women aged between 25 and 30 years.
Endometriosis is an inflammatory and hormonal condition where the tissue that normally lines the uterus, called the endometrium, can be found in other locations of the body where it’s not supposed to be…

In today’s world the presence of these toxins are unavoidable and everybody is exposed to one form or another of these cancer-causing stimulus every day of their lives. Therefore, everybody has the potential to form cancer cells every day. In fact, we all have mutated cells in our body at this very moment. However, our body is very efficient in cleaning away these mutated cells and the immune system plays a leading role in this process…

In the Finnish Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study, investigating over 2000 middle-aged men, researchers came to the following conclusions:
Sauna use 2-3 times per week reduced the likelihood of death from cardiovascular-related causes by 27%
Sauna use 2-3 times per week was associated with a 66% and 65% lower likelihood of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease….

I had several individuals asking me “how can I create a low toxin space at home… and where should I start?” And the answer is almost always: the bedroom. Bedrooms are our sanctuary: this is a place where we spend the majority of our time, sleeping. Sleep is so fully integrated into our identity and is such a natural state that we enter into it on a regular basis.

Our parasympathetic nervous system is largely operated by our vagus nerve – which originates from our brainstem and runs through our entire body. Our vagus nerve is unbelievably intricate and regulates the controls of our heart, gut and lungs. It also branches out to our liver, stomach, pancreas, gallbladder, spleen, kidneys, reproductive organs and some muscles.

In this article we will discuss the impacts of trauma and understand how it affects our health. But more importantly, what we can do to support ourselves during times of distress with supplementation and other therapies. Psychological trauma can result from witnessing an event that is perceived to be life-threatening or to pose the potential of injury both physically and emotionally to ourselves or others.

Gut health is central to our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. It is connected to everything that happens in our body and therefore also directly linked to the formation of disease. Intestinal health or gut health could be defined as the optimal digestion, absorption and assimilation of food. Sounds simple right? However, the optimal functioning of our gastrointestinal system depends on many other factors.