INFORMATION OVERLOAD

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SO MUCH INFORMATION TO ABSORB

There is so much information out there (books, internet, social media, people you know) on what you should eat. Then, to add more confusion, there is even more to choose from when it comes to something specific: weight loss, autoimmune diseases, cancer, IBS/IBD, depression/anxiety, etc.

When I was healing from Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), I did so much research on my own, plus I started seeing a naturopath, I had my beloved integrative medicine physician and then I eventually added a rheumatologist to the mix. 

I read many, many books on inflammation, on gut health, on autoimmune issues, on hormones and on RA specifically. I had my Pharmacy Degree and I had recently obtained a Holistic Health Coach Certification from IIN (Institute for Integrative Nutrition out of New York) which offered a very broad education on nutrition. The education focused on bio-individuality and offered a little bit of education on everything – vegetarian, pescatarian, vegan, low fat, low carb and even breatharian models and many more. This certification opened my world up to many many teachings, many authors and gave me a lot to think about – but it didn’t give me the specific answers I needed.

I am grateful for everything that I learn and for everything that happens for me, even my RA diagnosis. My knowledge that I did have was swirling in my head, the advice I received from my health team swirled around in there too. I was dedicated to healing –  it was scary at times and the journey on that path wasn’t easy. 

I did some juicing, things I learned from the Paddison Program. I tried the AIP diet, recommended by my naturopath, I tried the Specific Carbohydrate diet, recommended by my Integrative MD. I was tested and treated for SIBO. I opted for using the herbal treatment for SIBO instead of the pharmaceutical Xifaxan. I consider myself a Paradoxical Pharmacist – I know about all of these medications but would prefer to heal naturally for so many reasons, one being the side effects that prescription medications can cause.

I was trying to follow information from books I read by Neal Barnard, Susan Blum, Steven Gundry, Don Colbert, Josh Axe, Dave Aspry, Izabella Wentz, Joel Fuhrman, Sara Gottfried, Julia Ross, Mark Hyman, Michal Platt, etc. – and I am sure there were many more in the library I collected and even more that I read or listened to online.

TRYING TO TIE IT ALL TOGETHER BUT FALLING SHORT

Ultimately I landed on a vegetarian keto version of a diet from trying to incorporate everything I had been given by the health care team. This seemed to keep some of my symptoms at bay but I continued to be extremely fatigued, was carrying some extra weight, my entire body was swollen and my hair was thinning. I felt defeated and lost. 

My blood work didn’t show the classic signs of RA, but I agreed to see a rheumatologist. With his observations of my swollen joints, all of my other symptoms and some added blood work, I received my diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis and a secondary diagnosis of hypothyroidism.

I handled that ok, as well as could be expected, but then came the choices of medications. Again, this paradoxical pharmacist did not want to take steroids or the methotrexate or the hydroxychloroquine or the injectable biologics. But ultimately, I was scared and this fear was enough to push me to agree to try the medications. I responded remarkably quickly to all of the treatments, maybe because of the diet and lifestyle I had adopted. I continued with eating my vegetarian keto dietary plan and was able to achieve medication supported remission in under a year. My Rheumatologist pushed for me to continue on the medication to ensure the remission. I agreed to stay on medication for a bit longer, but my goal was to discontinue the medications and to stay in remission. 

DIVINE INTERVENTION: A PUSH TO EXPLORE A DIFFERENT PATH

In November 2019, something stirred in me to reach out to someone I had met just once several years ago. When I met this amazing person, I had just finished my IIN Health Coach Certification and she had just finished her Health Coach Certification from HMI (Health Mastery Institute out of Kauai). I had been so intrigued by her account of her training and how excitedly she spoke of her teacher, Liana Shanti. At the time I had met with her, I just couldn’t imagine doing another Health Certification but I did enroll in one of Liana’s classes, 66 Day Health Mastery Program, and went on with my life. This program is amazing but I didn’t realize it at the time – I read through the first 4 modules to gain the knowledge but I didn’t apply the program to my life fully.

When I reached out to this amazing person, Cahira Nolani, in November of 2019, she graciously agreed to meet with me. I had a ton of questions that she patiently answered and that night I decided to enroll in HMI. To say the least, HMI has been LIFE CHANGING. 

A LIGHT OF AN OPPORTUNITY

When the world “shut down” in March of 2020, I decided to go off of all of my prescriptions. This was also prompted by fear of the unknown. I did not want to be immunocompromised in the face of an unknown virus.  I threw myself into learning everything I could from HMI. 

Not only do I attribute HMI to helping me stay in remission after abruptly stopping my medications, it also helped me understand that the high fat that I was eating was most likely the culprit for disrupting my hormones. I was already eating fairly healthy but changing up my diet by lowering the fat and increasing what I thought was “forbidden” fruit made a drastic improvement in my health and wellbeing. 

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON

Everything happens for a reason! I truly believe that if I had done the program, 66 Day Health Mastery Program, back in 2015, I may not have been confronted with Rheumatoid Arthritis. I don’t look back at what could have been, I look back and see all of the lessons I have learned along the way. Our failures are our best teachers!

HELP IS HERE – YOU JUST HAVE TO ASK

The information I learned in HMI also provided me with more knowledge and more confidence to help others on their healing path.

Reach out if my story resonates with you and you would like guidance on your health journey.

You too can heal!!

Gina Lynn

G.E.T. Happy G.E.T. Healthy G.E.T. Whole

WHY QUERCETIN?

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WHAT IS IT?

Quercetin is the most abundant flavonoid in the human diet, providing you eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables. A flavonoid is a plant pigment with antioxidant properties. Quercetin is found in many fruits, vegetables and herbs and is safe to consume.

WHERE CAN IT BE FOUND?

Quercetin is found naturally in many plant foods, particularly in the outer layer or peel. Onions are the food found to have the highest amount of quercetin.

  • Food Sources:
  • Red Apples
  • Red Grapes
  • Cherries
  • Berries
  • Citrus Fruits
  • Honey
  • Tomatoes
  • Broccoli
  • Asparagus
  • Leafy Greens: Red Leaf Lettuce, Kale, etc.
  • Sweet Peppers
  • Onions
  • Shallots
  • Capers
  • Tea: Green, Black & Buckwheat

The amount of quercetin in foods may depend on the conditions in which the food was grown. Organic sources have been shown to have higher concentrations than their conventionally grown counterparts.

It’s estimated that the average person consumes 10–100 mg of quercetin daily from fruits, vegetables, and herbal sources.

WHAT ARE ITS HEALTH BENEFITS?

The health benefits of flavonoids, like quercetin, come from their antioxidant functions inside the body. Antioxidants bind and neutralize free radicals, preventing them from causing cellular damage. This damage leads to inflammation. Normally, the inflammation goes away after the immune system eliminates the offender or repairs the damaged tissue. When the body is unable to do this, the inflammation becomes chronic and may lead to numerous chronic conditions, including:

  • Cancer
  • Heart disease
  • Kidney disease
  • Diabetes
  • Autoimmune conditions
    • In an 8-week study of 50 women with rheumatoid arthritis, it was observed that the women who took 500 mg of quercetin daily experienced significantly reduced early morning stiffness, morning pain, and after-activity pain. They also had reduced markers of inflammation, such as TNFα, compared to those who received a placebo. (Pub Med)
    • This research is promising but more research in humans is needed.

ARE THERE BENEFITS OR DANGERS TO TAKING IT AS A SUPPLEMENT?

When consumed in food, quercetin is generally safe for everyone, including pregnant and breastfeeding women. Because studies on safety of quercetin supplements are lacking, supplements should be avoided if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Quercetin may interact with various medications, including blood thinners, blood pressure medications, and antibiotics. Speak with your health care provider before taking any supplement, including quercetin.

As a supplement, quercetin appears to be generally safe with little to no side effects and many potential benefits.

Typical dosages range from 500–1,000 mg per day

Taking more than 1,000 mg of quercetin per day may cause mild symptoms:

  • Headaches
  • Stomachaches
  • Tingling sensations in the arms and legs

Very high doses of quercetin may damage the kidneys.

  • People with kidney disease should avoid quercetin

Quercetin has been safely used in amounts up to 500 mg twice daily for 12 weeks.

  • It is unknown if long-term use or higher doses are safe
  • Taking periodic breaks from taking quercetin may be a good idea

On its own, as a supplement, quercetin has a low bioavailability, which means your body absorbs it poorly.

Taking quercetin supplements with other compounds, such as Zinc, Vitamin C, or Digestive Enzymes like Bromelain, may increase effectiveness.

Quercetin is available as a dietary supplement in powder and capsule form.

SUMMARY

People take this supplement for several reasons, including to:

  • Boost immunity
  • Fight inflammation
  • Combat allergies
  • Increase exercise performance
  • Maintain general health

The benefits of Quercetin are promising but more human research is needed.

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

Hi! My name is Gina Lynn and I’m so happy you’re here!

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So, who am I?

This is really a deep topic to consider when I really sit and think about it. I am a child of God. I am a daughter. I have wonderful parents who taught me what it is to love and gifted me the name Gina Lynn. I am blessed to be a sister to two of my best friends. I am a mother, to two beautiful daughters (Emma & Tessa), something I count as my biggest blessing. I am a friend. I am a co-worker. I am a neighbor. I am a friendly face. I am a kindred spirit. The list could go on and on.

There are so many “hats” we all wear. These hats shape who we are but they don’t necessarily define us.

Of course my story started when I was born. I lived in a small town in rural Wisconsin and loved growing up in that small town. My journey lead me to UW-Madison, School of Pharmacy. This is where I feel my “own” journey started. The time when I ventured out into the world, maybe still sheltered a bit, but making the transition to adulthood nonetheless.

Pharmacy school was a great adventure, I met wonderful friends and learned more than I ever thought possible. It was a struggle at times, it was lonely at times, and it was so fun at times. Just like life, a journey that ebbs and flows; you have to learn to flow with the tide and work to overcome obstacles.

I have been practicing pharmacy for 26+ years. I was drawn to this life path because I am drawn to helping people. I have learned so much along this career path; I am still learning and grateful for all of my experiences.

Now, I feel I am being led to help people in a different way! I know there is so much healing we can do when we nurture our bodies, our minds and our spirits. We need all three to be in balance in order to thrive.

I have been blessed with health my whole life and then, a few years ago, just like that, I began to feel less than vibrant. I was tired all of the time, my hair was thinning, my body was swelling, my joints were achy, my mood was depressed and I was impatient. I knew I had to figure this out and began to really research health. I learned so much about nutrition, inflammation, meditation, yoga, deep breathing and supplements. I was going to figure this out and get back to being me!! This was a promise I made to myself.

My path led to IIN (Institute for Integrative Nutrition) where I learned about so may different dietary and healing modalities and completed my first health coach certification. This was a spring board to my learning. I continued to read so many books and continued to research health.

I was making progress with my diet, lifestyle and supplement changes, but the fatigue and swelling was still there. I figured out how to order labs for myself and nothing came back that was concerning. I finally reached a point where my work, the work of my family doctor and the work of my naturopathic doctor weren’t giving me the all the results I was hoping for. Then came the referral to rheumatology and the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and a secondary diagnosis of Hashimoto’s. There was no time for denial. All of the symptoms were there but the blood work did not point to anything being wrong seriously. Inflammatory markers were not elevated, the RA Factor was negative, Thyroid levels were low, TSH was elevated and the Thyroid Antibodies were present but not at a critical level. My rheumatologist said “if we wait for the blood work to prove what we already know, there will be irreversible damage to the joints”. Through tears and fears, I agreed to take steroids to help with the inflammation and methotrexate to modulate the attack my immune system was waging on my joints. Some people will say that I am lucky because I know so much about these medications, but honestly, I think this knowledge made me even more afraid. These 2 medications helped but I was not reaching my goal of remission. Hydroxychloroquine was added to further modulate the immune attack on my body. I had tolerated both of the other medications, but this one made me nauseous and gave me headaches. Finally, came the discussion of the biologics. I was terrified but determined to get back to my vibrant self!! It was a long process with cost, insurance, mail order, etc. I pushed thru and injected my first dose. I consider myself very fortunate; 4 days after my first injection, my swelling decreased!! I could bend my fingers again, my joint pain subsided and I could wear shoes other than slippers and Birkenstocks.

My next step was to use this victory to dive deeper into the repair of by body, to get completely into remission and to be able to drop the medications that I know were helping me temporarily but also adding to the toxic burden on my body.

I did extensive work to heal my gut. I supported my mental health. I dug deeper into my hormones. I continue to improve my diet. The steroids were no longer needed, the methotrexate was slowly decreased.

My journey then lead me to HMI (Health Mastery Institute) which is proving to be the source that ties everything together into a beautiful, abundant, actionable information package. HMI has shone a bright light on my life path to vibrant health.

In the midst of my learning through HMI, I received call from my rheumatologist when this coronavirus was released into our world. He was calling to express his concern for me being on medication that decreased my immune function, while working as a pharmacist with an increased risk of exposure to the virus. He suggested I stay on the medication until there was a confirmed case in my co-workers or in my family. Because of the progress I had made with healing my body, I made the decision to stop injecting because of my interaction with so many people over the course of a single work day. With so few tests available, I decided to treat my situation as if I had been exposed. My last injection was February 28, 2020. I choose to view this as a blessing and the push/permission I was looking for to stop all medications.

I am concentrating on putting only what can help me into my body. I am not perfect but this opportunity to be medication free has given me more resolve to support my body and my immune function to the best of my ability.

Sharing my story with you has been therapeutic; thank you for indulging me!! My hope is that my story will resonate with you on a personal level or because of someone you know; and the information shared here will help on your journey.

I believe that we’re are all here, on this life journey, to help one another. Originally I was called to help people through my role as a pharmacist. There have been so many changes over the past 3 decades in the field of medicine and I feel my calling has evolved. I now know that by concentrating on physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing, the vibrance of true health can be realized. My true calling is to Guide, Empower and Teach any one who finds themselves seeking this vibrancy on their life journey.

G.E.T happy G.E.T. healthy G.E.T. whole