Causes of Hormonal Imbalances

When it comes to hormonal imbalances, there are a vast number of factors and causes to take into account. Some of the most common causes of hormonal imbalances include an underactive thyroid (also known as hypothyroidism), an overactive thyroid (known as hyperthyroidism), diabetes, pregnancy, menopause and even birth control use, however, there are many more causes for men, women and even teens.

Common Hormone Imbalance Symptoms

When it comes to hormonal imbalances, there can be a wide range of symptoms depending upon the patient and the exact cause. For both men and women, these are the most common symptoms of a hormonal imbalance, however, you may experience additional symptoms as well.

• fatigue
• temperature sensitivity
• constipation
• frequent bowel movements
• dry skin
• puffy face
• nervousness
• anxiety
• irritability
• blurred vision
• sweating
• infertility
• a fatty hump between the shoulders
• rounded face
• purple or pink stretch marks
• unexplained weight loss
• unexplained weight gain
• increased/decreased heart rate
• frequent urination
• increased thirst
• thinning, fine, brittle hair
• increased hunger
• depression
• decreased libido/sex drive
• muscle aches
• muscle tenderness
• muscle stiffness
• muscle weakness
• joint pain
• joint stiffness
• joint swelling

Women-Specific Hormonal Imbalance Symptoms

Due to the changes women experience each month and during their lifetime, there are certain hormonal imbalance symptoms specific to them, these include:

• heavy/irregular periods
• missed periods
• no period
• frequent period
• excessive hair on the face, chin, or other parts of the body
• acne on the face, chest, or upper back
• thinning hair/hair loss
• weight gain/trouble losing weight
• skin darkening
• skin tags
• vaginal dryness
• vaginal atrophy
• painful sex
• night sweats

Men-Specific Hormone Imbalance Symptoms

Testosterone can play a huge role in the development of a man, when levels are not adequate, certain symptoms may be experienced, such as:

• development of breast tissue
• decreased sex drive
• infertility
• decrease in facial/body hair growth
• osteoporosis
• difficulty concentrating
• hot flashes
• breast tenderness
• erectile dysfunction
• loss of muscle mass

Schedule Hormone Imbalance Therapy in Virtual/Telehealth

Think that you or a loved one may need hormonal imbalance treatment in Virtual/Telehealth? Contact CrispAZWellness today to schedule your appointment.

What Is An Autoimmune Disease?

An autoimmune disease is a condition which causes your immune system to mistakenly attack your body. The immune system typically protects the body and guards against germs like bacteria and viruses that we come into contact with on a daily basis. When your body senses foreign invaders, the immune system begins to respond, attacking any invaders.

In a healthy patient, the immune system can typically tell the difference between foreign cells and your own, however, those with autoimmune diseases release a protein called autoantibodies which attack healthy cells in the body.

Certain autoimmune diseases can affect the whole body, such as Lupus, while other autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes damage only one organ (such as the pancreas).

Integrative/Functional Autoimmune Disease Treatment

At CrispAZWellness, we are dedicated to finding the root cause of our patients symptoms and healing their entire body. We don’t just prescribe medications to mask symptoms and send you on our way. If you are interested in a natural approach to your autoimmune disorder, feel free to reach out for your consultation today.

Start Autoimmune Disorder Treatment in Virtual/Telehealth Today

Do you or a loved one suffer from an autoimmune disease or the common symptoms? Schedule your appointment with us today, we are always happy to help.

What is Direct Primary Care in Virtual/Telehealth?

Direct primary care is a new approach to healthcare that allows healthcare providers to spend more time with each patient, reduce their overhead costs and provide a better level of care. For patients, direct primary care is a new way to pay for your monthly healthcare visits. Pricing starts as low as $65 for individuals and families of 4 can get packages starting at $150. You can visit CrispAZWellness as many times as you need for the month with absolutely no copays. You will get to spend more time with Megan, allowing her to listen to you and create a treatment plan that can truly address the cause of your issues, not just focus on masking them.

How Can The Chronically Ill Benefit?

For patients that are chronically ill, the copays and fees can really add up. Some patients with insurance are required to pay upwards of $25 for each visit to their healthcare manager, even if they only see their healthcare provider 4 times that month, the cost is already going to be around $100, not including any additional costs for medications or testing.

Contact Us To Start Direct Primary Care in Virtual/Telehealth Today

Do you or a loved one suffer from a chronic illness? Interested in Virtual/Telehealth direct primary care near you to reduce your overall monthly costs? Contact CrispAZWellness today to learn more and schedule your first appointment with us.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Support Your Gut

Many people aren’t aware of how important the gut is to your bone health and the health of the rest of your body. We recommend eating foods with prebiotics and probiotics, these can improve the health of your gut, allowing your food and nutrients to be properly digested and absorbed into the body. Calcium, magnesium, Vitamin D and Vitamin K are all extremely important for bone health.

Limit Stomach Acid Reducing Medications

Did you know that certain medications such as proton-pump inhibitors and heartburn medications can actually decrease the absorption of calcium? Due to the decrease in stomach acid, the body cannot properly breakdown, digest and absorb the foods we eat. If you suffer from chronic heartburn, indigestion, etc. schedule an appointment with our AVONDALE NURSE practitioner today, we would be happy to help.

Improve Your Diet

As mentioned above, there are various vitamins, nutrients and minerals that are vital to bone health. Vitamin K, Vitamin D, Calcium and Magnesium should all be increased through diet and/or supplementation. It is important to determine if you have any deficiencies of these vitamins so that they can be properly addressed. Schedule an appointment with CrispAZWellness for vitamin deficiency testing in Virtual/Telehealth.

Visit Our Virtual/Telehealth Nurse Practitioner Today

Think that you may need help with your bone health, lifestyle, dietary or exercise choices? CrispAZWellness would be happy to help. Schedule an appointment with Vianka Cesena, our nurse practitioner in Virtual/Telehealth today.

What Exactly is Functional Medicine?

Functional Medicine is a medical approach which focuses on the identification and treatment of the root cause of a medical ailment. Optimal functioning of the body and its organs is an essential part of being healthy and feeling good, functional medicine ensures that the whole body is properly functioning, allowing our patients to feel their best.

Benefits of Functional Medicine in Virtual/Telehealth

Functional medicine addresses the root cause of patient health problems, resulting in long term solutions that can help patients avoid unsuccessful and potentially harmful treatment options. Due to the fact functional medicine treatment options frequently have very few, if any side effects, it makes it much less risky than drugs, surgery or other treatment options.

Functional medicine encourages patients to take part and help themselves. While a “quick fix” may seem ideal, in healthcare the fix tends to never last. With functional medicine, patients are educated about their health and bodies, allowing them to partake in the process of getting better. This sets patients up for success, allowing them to understand what is happening in their body and how to address it.

In the long run, functional medicine is often much cheaper than traditional treatment options. Due to the fact functional medicine addresses the root cause, treatment is typically far cheaper and requires fewer visits to your doctor.

Schedule Functional Medicine in Virtual/Telehealth Today

Interested in a Virtual/Telehealth doctor that is interested in addressing the root cause of your health issues? Contact CrispAZWellness today, we would be more than happy to get you on our schedule for an appointment.

What Is An Autoimmune Disease?

An autoimmune disease is a condition which causes a patient’s immune system to attack part of their body. Different autoimmune diseases can cause damage to different parts of the body, including the skin, tissues, organs and more. The body does not understand that it is not attacking an invader but is, in fact, attacking healthy, normal tissue. Based upon the specific autoimmune condition and the damage it is causing, symptoms can vary.

Common Autoimmune Conditions

When it comes to autoimmune conditions, there are actually quite a few. However, at CrispAZWellness, these are the most common ones we treat:

Rheumatoid arthritis causes the immune system to attack the joints, causing inflammation, swelling and pain.

Lupus causes the immune system to attack various tissues within the body, commonly affecting the joints, lungs, blood cells, nerves and kidneys.

Inflammatory bowel disease (including ulcerative colitis and crohn’s disease) causes the immune system to attack the lining of the intestines.

Hashimoto’s disease causes the immune system to attack the thyroid gland.

Diagnosing Autoimmune Diseases in Virtual/Telehealth

At CrispAZWellness we are proud to detect, diagnose and treat a range of autoimmune conditions in Virtual/Telehealth.

Schedule Virtual/Telehealth Autoimmune Treatment

Interested in starting natural autoimmune treatment in Virtual/Telehealth? Contact CrispAZWellness today, we would be happy to get you on our schedule for treatment.

The tonsils and the thymus: The thymus and tonsils are responsible for producing antibodies that attack foreign invaders.

The Lymphatic system: Is a network made of lymph nodes and vessels which are responsible for carrying lymph fluid, nutrients and waste material into the bloodstream. As the lymphatic system disperses fluid it is also filtered, trapping bacteria, viruses and other invaders. Lymphocytes (specialized white blood cells) are deployed to destroy anything invading the body.

Bone marrow: Is soft tissue which is found inside the long bones in the arms, legs, vertebrae and the pelvic bones in the body. Bone marrow produces red and white blood cells along with producing platelets and yellow marrow as well. Yellow marrow is responsible for producing some of the white blood cells necessary for a healthy immune system.

Spleen: The spleen is responsible for filtering the blood by excreting old/damaged cells or platelets.

White blood cells: Are created by bone marrow and are responsible for protecting your body from infection. If an infection develops in the body, the white blood cells rush to the rescue, attacking the invader.

About Autoimmune Disorders

When a patient has an overactive immune system, autoimmune disorders can form causing a wide range of complications and systems. At CrispAZWellness we are committed to treating the root cause of our patient’s autoimmune disorder, not simply masking the symptoms experienced due to the condition. Whether you experience lupus, gluten intolerance or even hashimotos, CrispAZWellness would be happy to provide autoimmune treatment in Virtual/Telehealth.

Start Virtual/Telehealth Autoimmune Treatment Today

Do you, a friend or a loved one suffer from a compromised immune system or autoimmune disorder? Interested in natural autoimmune treatment in Virtual/Telehealth? Contact CrispAZWellness today, we’re always accepting new patients and would be happy to provide autoimmune treatment nearby.

What is Lupus?

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus also commonly referred to as SLE is the most common type of lupus. It is a systemic condition, meaning it can impact the systems throughout the entire body. Symptoms of lupus can range from mild to severe depending upon each patient. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus often goes through different cycles, during times of remission, the patient will have no Lupus symptoms. During a flare-up of Lupus, the disease is active, and symptoms of Lupus begin to appear.

Symptoms of Lupus

Due to the fact that Systemic Lupus Erythematosus can affect the entire body, the symptoms actually range greatly. The most common symptoms, however, include:

Fatigue
Loss of Appetite
Weight Loss
Muscle Pain
Joint Pain
Joint Swelling
Swollen Legs
Swollen Eyes
Swollen Lymph Nodes
Swollen Glands
Skin Rashes
Mouth Ulcers
Sun Sensitivity
Headaches
Fever
Chest Pain
Hair Loss
Raynaud’s Phenomenon (Pale/Purple Fingers/Toes)
Arthritis

Along with the above daily symptoms, Lupus can also cause damage to the Kidneys, Lungs, Central Nervous System, Blood Vessels, Blood and even the Heart. Treatment can help reduce daily symptoms along with the effect lupus has on the entire body.

Natural Lupus Treatment Virtual/Telehealth

At CrispAZWellness we can create a treatment plan based upon your exact lupus symptoms and the effect it has on your body and overall life. Our lupus treatment in Virtual/Telehealth focuses on dietary, lifestyle and other factors to address the root cause of your condition instead of just masking your symptoms.

Start Virtual/Telehealth Lupus Treatment Today Today

Think that you or a loved one may need lupus treatment in Virtual/Telehealth? Schedule a free lupus consultation in Virtual/Telehealth with CrispAZWellness today. We would be happy to start a lupus treatment plan tailored to you.

Don’t Suffer

Every day for the past six years, she wakes up with stiffness and muscle spasm and could barely lift even a grocery bag. She used to mow her lawn, but the pain had restricted most of her daily activities.

Sometimes when the pain was so bad, lying down on the bed makes the pain worse. Her mind is fogged from taking opioid medications, and nausea and constipation served to increase her suffering.

Her desire to socialize with her friends had dipped to an all-time low. She wished the doctor could do something more, other than refilling her prescription and referring her to physical therapy.

I was like Linda. I had suffered from chronic pain and from the hands of many traditional health care providers. I could not accept there were no other options or treatment plans to relieve my pain. So, I did my research. Surely, there must be an alternative way.

Fortunately, I found better ways to deal with chronic pain. I have spent the last years helping others manage their chronic pain using the integrative approach, so they don’t suffer like Linda, and I did.

I know the likes of us are not rare birds out there. Many suffer from some form of chronic condition, especially chronic pain.

Chronic Conditions on the Rise

According to a recent report, as of 2014, 60 percent of American adults had at least one chronic condition, and 42 percent had more than one chronic disease, which occurs more on adult women.

These chronic conditions account for a big pie of health care spending in the country. Chronic pain alone is a growing problem with more people taking opioids to relieve their pain. It came to the point that it had become a serious national healthcare concern.

CDC revealed that about 50 million US adults had chronic pain based on the 2016 National Health Interview Survey. Can you imagine how many pain prescriptions doctors write every day?

If you’re suffering from pain on most days or every day for the last 3-6 months, then you have chronic pain. That’s according to the International Association for the Study of Pain.

And if that pain has limited your life and work activities, then that is a high-impact chronic pain. In 2016, 19.6 million Americans suffered from this type of pain.

In a separate survey, the most common chronic pain identified were:

• Back pain (10.1%)
• Pain in the legs/feet (7.1%)
• Pain in the arms/hands (4.1%)
• Headache (3.5%)

These may be due to neuropathic pain, joint pain, migraine, or muscular inflammatory conditions. Some are autoimmune and can be quite complicated to address.

Traditional medicine would address these pains with your usual pain relievers like Dilaudid, Tylenol, Aleve, and the like. But without looking at the root cause, these become temporary patches that only makes the condition permanent.

Assessing Chronic Pain

When I assess chronic pain, I do it holistically because of its complex nature. There’s the physical pain, and then there’s the effect of the pain on the psychological and social aspect of the person.

The longer the pain is left unaddressed, the more problems it breeds, like anxiety and depression and limited mobility and function. I use screening tools and many tests to trace the root cause of your pain and other health problems that arose because of the pain.

In dealing with common chronic pains like fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and low back pain, most family practitioners would prescribe medications depending on the type of pain and may manage chronic pain sufferers using cognitive behavior therapy, and movement and exercise therapies.

Getting to the Root Cause

Just because I embrace non-traditional approaches to pain doesn’t mean I don’t use conventional means.

I perform joint injections and trigger point injections using a combination of steroids and anesthetic for some types of pain to provide quick relief.

But tracing the root causes is essential for long-term benefits.

What other practitioners miss is the role of natural pain supplements. Using the specific health index and wellness goals as the basis, we recommend the right type of supplements that will help relieve inflammation and address any nutritional deficiencies that you may have.

Complex Interventions

There are now many non-drug or complex interventions out there. In a recent study, the following approaches were found to be increasingly becoming popular:

• Psychological Approaches like:
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Acceptance and commitment therapy
• Self-Management

Some of these self-management programs are available online like MoodJuice and The Pain Toolkit. You can access it anytime, anywhere.

Physiotherapy

Aside from doing physical activity and traditional exercises, you can use motivational interventions to help with your musculoskeletal pain.

Peripheral Nervous System Stimulation

Using Trans-cutaneous electronic nerve stimulation (TENS), you can get some relief from your pain. You can also control how strong, frequent, and long the treatment will be.

Complementary Therapies

Those patients who used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to manage their pain tend to be more satisfied than those who didn’t. Some common methods, which most patients use along with conventional approaches are:

• Osteopathy
• Chiropractic
• Homeopathy
• Acupuncture
• Herbalism
• Hypnosis
• Aromatherapy
• Comprehensive Pain Management Programs

Comprehensive Pain Management

For me, a comprehensive pain management program is not just interdisciplinary but also integrated and holistic. It focuses on the patient as a human being and not just the pain as a symptom to manage.

The treatment plan is designed to meet the personal needs of the patient but backed by evidence-based medicine.

What can work for one patient may not be a good regimen for you, and what may not be effective for others may work for you.

Taking a Look at Gut Health

Some patients find relief using natural remedies for chronic pain. Others realize their chronic condition is a manifestation of poor gut health.

The many evidence pointing to food as a contributing factor to various inflammation and chronic pain conditions had shifted research to this arena.

We now look at anti-inflammatory diets as additional ways of managing pain caused by inflammatory conditions. It is exciting to know that something so simple and natural as eating the right amount of colorful, non-starchy vegetables can have an impact on reducing silent inflammation.

Imagine how largely untapped this gene silencing technology is, and it’s right within our grasp.

We Can Help

So if you think you have come to the end of the road in dealing with your chronic pain, rest assured there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

We offer a FREE initial consult for your pain condition. We can help.

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• 9.8 million to 11.4 million flu illnesses
• 4.6 to 5.4 million flu medical visits
• 113,000 to 136,000 flu hospitalizations

1. Know Your Facts

Flu and colds may seem the same, but they are different. The virus causing the flu can lead to serious complications (as mentioned above), whereas those of common colds will not.

Symptoms of the flu are worse than that of the common cold. Watch out for the sudden onset of fever with:

• Body and muscle aches
• Chills
• A cough
• A headache
• A sore throat

Colds rarely come with a fever.

Some natural remedies are shown to help beat the common cold but don’t show much evidence against the flu. These are:

• Oral zinc products
• Rinsing the nose and sinuses with filtered/treated water (not tap water)
• Honey
• Vitamin C
• Probiotics
• Meditation

Some natural remedies may interact with each other.

2. Take Preventive Actions to Avoid Exposure

Avoid crowded and tight places. Use the stairs instead of the elevator if it’s packed (especially when you see someone coughing or blowing his nose).

Avoid being with sick people. If you are, avoid getting close to them. If you’ve touched them, avoid touching your mouth or nose without washing your hands first. Wear a mask.

3. Boost Your Immunity

Get the flu vaccine, preferably around October which marks the start of the flu season, especially if you belong to the high-risk groups.

The vaccine needs two weeks to start working. Most people receive their flu shot between December and March.

• Get plenty of rest and enough sleep. Your body needs the reserve energy to fight the bugs off your system.
• Eat healthy with lots of fresh vegetables and fruits.
• Drink lots of water.
• Keep warm and avoid exposures.

4. Stop the Spread of the Virus

If you are sick, avoid crowded places, so you don’t infect others. Stay home for at least 24 hours until you’re fever-free even without medicine.

The flu is most contagious in the first 3-4 days from the start of symptoms. Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. Throw away the tissue and wash your hands.

Disinfect hands with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand rub especially after touching objects held in common use like doorknobs, drawer handles telephones or money.

5. Fight Back

You may need anti-viral drugs (most would not) if you belong to the high-risk group to prevent complications like:

• Pneumonia
• Sinus and ear infections
• Inflammation of the heart (myocarditis)
• Brain (encephalitis)
• Muscles (myositis)
• Multi-organ failure (respiratory or kidney failure)

Stay well hydrated and well rested.

We Can Help

Flu may be in season, but you don’t have to go with the fad. We look at the full picture of what you do to manage your health so we can provide you with the best care.

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