Why am I so tired?

Check out. my latest video health tip on Facebook and Instagram.

One of the most common health-related searches last year was: “Why am I so tired?” This is definitely something I see very often in my private practice.

Sometimes the answer is simple. Lifestyle changes like decreasing your caffeine intake, eating a better diet, getting more exercise, getting more sleep or just improving your sleep hygiene can improve your fatigue.

But sometimes, there is a an underlying condition that needs to be properly identified and treated. This is why seeking a qualified natural healthcare provider is so important.

One of the tools in my toolbox is blood work. I love looking at lab work with my patients. Even just the basic labs that your primary care provider orders every year. These can help identify a deficiency in iron, protein or healthy fats or a blood sugar imbalance. And sometimes there is a more serious underlying issue like a hormone imbalance or a thyroid condition that requires more in-depth lab work.

If you are feeling tired, get off Google and come see me! A comprehensive intake paired with bloodwork can help identify the root cause of your fatigue.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #pregnancy #chicagoland #prenatalcare #integrativemedicine #HealthyChoices #PreventiveMedicine #SheIsYouMag #glenellyn #Lombard #Glenellynmomsvillage #healthgoals #chronicdisease #tired #WhyAmISoTired

Let's talk about thyroid hormones

Head over to Instagram @drjesskeating or Facebook Willow Clinic of Natural Medicine to see my latest video about testing for thyroid disease.

Here is some basic info:

A lot of thyroid disease gets missed with a basic panel – TSH and Free T4. If someone has symptoms of low thyroid – difficulty losing weight, fatigue, menstrual changes, hair loss, brittle nails, dry skin, poor digestion – I will run a comprehensive thyroid panel including TSH, Free T4, Free T3, Total T4, Total T3, reverse T3, TPO antibodies, Thyroglobulin antibodies and iodine.

High thyroid function looks the opposite but can still be problematic – menstrual issues, weight loss, rapid heart rate, irritability, GI upset, reproductive issues. In addition to the above labs, TSI antibodies can also be run.

It is very important to get a proper diagnosis if you suspect you have a thyroid condition. Unfortunately, the basic labs miss a lot of early or subclinical disease and then patients continue to suffer without answers. If you feel like something is off, talk to your doctor. If you are not getting answers, keep asking or get a second opinion. I highly recommend finding a holistic practitioner like a naturopathic doctor, functional medicine doctor or other qualified healthcare provider who will take your concerns seriously. Remember, I am here to help! Drop any questions below!

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #momjourney  #parenthood #chicagoland #integrativemedicine #MomLife #mealprep  #SheIsYouMag #GlenEllyn #Glenellynmomsvillage #healthgoals #HealthyLife #Lombard #HealthyLifeTip #WeeklyHealthTip #YearlyLabs #FunctionalMedicine #ThyroidDisease #Autoimmunity #Hashimoto’s #ThyroidLabs

The Imitation Meat Movement

Here is a new article at She Is You where I wade into the controversy regarding meat vs. imitation meat products.

Basically, like all things, the proof is in the pudding. There are plenty of ways to make healthy meat alternatives and plenty of unhealthy Franken-meats. Some animal products are beneficial for health and some are detrimental. Sorry to disappoint anyone looking for an extreme argument here but health usually lives in the details.

I am an unashamed carnivore but I understand that not everyone needs or wants to eat meat. My issue is when either side tries to demonize the other. You can be a vegan and still be healthy but there are unique things you need to be aware of with this dietary approach. The same goes for vegetarians and omnivores - folks who eat a varied diet (which most of us are).

“You are what you eat.” Yes, very much so. But you are also whatever you are eating has eaten. I know, it’s a mouthful. If the burger you are consuming was fed grass, as cows are evolutionarily designed to eat, it will be higher quality meat than a cow fed grains. Just like with humans, grains tend to be more inflammatory, greens tend to be anti-inflammatory. So, chickens, pigs, turkey, bison, beef, venison, seafood, etc. that is eating the diet they are designed to consume and living in favorable conditions are better than animals that are eating junk or living in terrible conditions. Even some farm-raised fish are fed grains and this is not what they were meant to eat.

The same principle applies to imitation meats. Some of these Franken-meats contain upwards of 15-18 ingredients! We have all heard that eating food with fewer ingredients tends to mean less industrial processing of our food, which is a good thing. This is very different from a home-made black bean patty that might be made only with oil, egg, beans, breadcrumbs and spices. 5 ingredients, much better. As with so much in health, there are healthy versions, in-between options and downright junk food.

My final point about comparing meat and non-meat options is the nutritional comparison is often not perfect. Meat is the absolute best source for iron, B12 and cholesterol and also a great source of folate and protein. Vegans in particular have to be very conscientious about consuming enough cholesterol, iron, and B12 because non-meat sources of these ingredients are much rarer and the form of iron in plants is not as readily useable by the body compared to the form found in animals.

So if you love the occasional Beyond or Impossible Burger, it’s probably not going to derail your health journey. But just swapping a Whopper for an Impossible Whopper does not necessarily make you healthier. Always consider the health of the food you are consuming as well as the level of processing, read ingredient labels and strive to be an informed consumer.

THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP ON YOUR LIVER

New She is You article dropped on June 10th!

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is a cheap sweetener that has serious ramifications for our health. It contains a higher amount of fructose than occurs naturally in foods. This influx of fructose taxes the liver as it is the only tissue that can process fructose. This can lead to fatty liver, obesity, heart disease, diabetes and metabolic dysfunction according to the National Institutes of Health.

A previous article of mine reported that Americans consume too much sugar. This article discusses that we also consume too much HFCS. According to the Illinois Farm Bureau: “In 2009, the average American consumed about 35.7 pounds of high-fructose corn syrup.”

Fatty liver is a serious disease whose major causes are alcohol consumption and consuming excess sugars. An article from Harvard Health discusses that early fatty liver can be reversed with lifestyle changes but if left to progress, can result in scarring (cirrhosis) of the liver.

If you want to see the specific biochemical process that occurs in the liver when you consume HFCS, check it out here. But the takeaway remains - avoiding HFCS is a great decision for your health!

Hidden forms of sugar

Sugar is everywhere! It is added to a wide variety of foods because it is highly prized by the American palate. How big is the problem? The CDC estimates that the average American adult consumes 57 pounds of sugar in a year.

Surprising high-sugar foods include: salad dressing, ketchup, BBQ sauce, yogurt, beef jerky, energy drinks, breakfast cereal and packaged fruits. A popular brand of yogurt (5 oz cup) contained 22 grams of sugar! And the average soda (12 oz) has about 40 grams of the sweet stuff. That is almost your entire daily allowance of sugar in one drink.

Georgetown university provided this article which details 65 alternative names for added sugars. Arm yourself with this knowledge because reading labels is basically the only way to be sure of what you are consuming. This Healthline article also contains solid and syrup names of hidden sugars.

If sugar is everywhere, what can you do? Be an informed consumer. Thankfully, the FDA now requires labels to differentiate total sugar and added sugar. This allows you to see if the food has been additionally sweetened or if the sweetness is intrinsic to the natural ingredients. Try to get your sweet fix from whole foods - fresh fruits and vegetables like beets and carrots are high in naturally-occurring sugar. Eating real food means that the sugar is paired with other nutrients like vitamins, micronutrients and fiber which helps your body process the sugar more slowly. Avoid juices, soda and read labels to find products without large amounts of added sugars.

Read my full article published on June 1st at She is You.

Why choose telehealth?

Put simply, telehealth is here to stay. What explains its sudden popularity and seeming staying power?

Most important is convenience. It benefits both the patient and the doctor to schedule appointments around your own schedule. This system actually works well for both parties! Schedule at home, at work, on a lunch break, wherever, whenever.

Efficiency. Utilizing telehealth helps save time! You can do a visit from the comfort of your own home and save time lost traveling to an office. What a great concept! Plus, you can rest assured that you are not losing quality in these visits. For a majority of cases, the details you provide and the facts of your case are sufficient to reach an accurate diagnosis. Plus if lab work is needed, then all the preliminary information is gathered and labs can be ordered.

Safety. During COVID-19, safety was a paramount concern. Now even though the pandemic has largely begun to wane, we all still value safety. Perhaps you have a sick kid and would rather not bring those germs into the doctor’s office. Perhaps the doctor doesn’t feel 100% and is working from home. All of these factors combine to ensure that telehealth will stay around for the foreseeable future.

If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my website or bio to get in touch. I offer 15-minute complimentary consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #chicagoland

She is you Articles

I have two more articles up at She is You! Check it out here.

Topic is: HOLIDAY FAVORITES REMIX: SIMPLE SWAPS FOR HEALTHY HOLIDAY RECIPES

And HERE. Topic: KEEPING SYSTEMATIC INFLAMMATION AT BAY DURING THE HOLIDAYS

In January, the She is You community is doing a group program called “Better Year, Best You!” We will have guidance on revitalizing your career path, relationships, mental well-being and health journey! Joining with a group of motivated women to make positive change is a perfect way to kick off 2021! Check out the website in the coming weeks for further details.

Determinants of Health #13 Inborn factors

We have come to the end of our series investigating the naturopathic determinants of health. Ironically, this brings us all the way to the beginning of life. Each of us is born into a unique environment with an individual genetic code, which is modified by epigenetic factors. If that sounds like gibberish, let me clarify. We inherit genes from our parents but just because you have a particular gene does not mean it is “activated.” There are ways to turn on and off genes to determine which of them are expressed. This is the new field of epigenetics.

Beyond the genes, or hardware, there are many factors that we consider “inborn.” Birth order is one of them (first, last, in the middle), maternal health plays a role in baby health, genetic factors and the circumstances during your birth. Was it an uncomplicated birth, vaginal or C-section, simple or traumatic? How old was your mother when you were born? How many siblings do you have? All of these factors can impact your health.

For a deeper level of this concept, consider this: You as an egg existed in your mother when she was a baby in her mother’s womb! All of a woman’s eggs develop during gestation, which means the egg that would become you was also influenced by the health of your maternal grandmother during her pregnancy with your mother. This always blows my mind as it demonstrates an inter-generational model of health.

None of this is meant to be fatalistic – suggesting that you are doomed by your genetics. Rather these are just several more factors that play a role in determining the big picture that is you. Knowledge is power and the more we know, the better we can provide you a path toward excellent health.

Naturopathic doctors take a comprehensive look at your health. We ask about the many factors that influence health, which we term “The determinants of health.” Taking a patient-centered approach lets us build a comprehensive plan to help patients achieve their health goals.

Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating  #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #genetics #epigenetics #genes #birthstory

Determinants of Health #12 Spirituality and consciousness

Human beings are naturally drawn toward a connection with something greater than ourselves. We seek out the divine, God, Allah, Yah-weh, Buddha, the One, the Universe, our Higher Power, etc. We seek relationship with that which is mysterious.

This relationship is usually very personal and so I do not propose that there is one path that fits every person. I prefer the metaphor that spiritual paths are like different rivers that all lead to the same ocean. I encourage my patients to explore this aspect of their health either in new ways or to dive more deeply into their spiritual or religious traditions.

Connection with the “great Divine” helps to restore perspective and remind us of the bigger picture. As humans, it is easy to forget about “the great mystery” and focus only on the minute details of our daily lives.

How do you connect with a higher power? 

Naturopathic doctors take a comprehensive look at your health. We ask about the many factors that influence health, which we term “The determinants of health.” Taking a patient-centered approach lets us build a comprehensive plan to help patients achieve their health goals.

Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating  #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #spirituality #religion #consciousness #faith

Determinants of Health #11 Past medical history

This topic is pretty straightforward. What happens to us, in part, determines our current health status. This is why doctors inquire as to past surgery, hospitalization, major trauma, etc.

Have you experienced past illnesses, toxic exposures, major surgery? All of these things will play a role in your current health. This is not to say that these factors will determine your health but rather to say that they matter. One reason why naturopathic doctors typically conduct a longer intake visit is so that we can investigate and address all the factors that impact your health.

Naturopathic doctors take a comprehensive look at your health. We ask about the many factors that influence health, which we term “The determinants of health.” Taking a patient-centered approach lets us build a comprehensive plan to help patients achieve their health goals.

Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating  #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #pastmedicalhistory