Sugar and Your Immune System

HOLIDAY RECIPES

& A REMINDER THAT YOU ARE A PRETTY SPECIAL PERSON!

The holidays are here! I want to share my best tips for a healthy holiday with better choices to maintain your health during this time of family and food.

Make a plan.

Who said that when we fail to plan, we plan to fail? Many of us have worked very hard to get to where we are health-wise right now, and the holidays and our planning or lack thereof will make all the difference in whether we keep our gains or go backward and have to start again.

Either way, I will help you, but I worked hard for my health gains this year and want to keep them until January and not start again!

It can be more than tempting when that table laden with goodies is right within our reach, but you can be ready!

When I first started my health journey, it was at this time of the year almost 30 years ago. Like many of my patients, I had severe health problems. I was addicted to sugar, and sadly I was the last to figure it out. Thankfully, I had the help and support of my health team and my husband to make it through that first holiday season sugar-free! I did it because the long-term health I sought was more important than the sugar I was abandoning. I wanted to be well, and I know you do too!

So that brings us to the plan. What to do when all around us have different ideas about how to eat and what to eat?

Know yourself and determine where you are regarding the condition of your health right now.

Like me back then, you may just be getting started on a health journey. You may have blood sugar problems, gut issues, and health concerns that the wrong foods can worsen. At best, for you, the healing that you have been building for the last several weeks or months can be jeopardized; at worst, you could put yourself back into the conditions you just pulled yourself out of recently.

So, take a good honest look. If you are in an acute phase of healing, it is best for you to take a more sugar-free, low-carb approach to the holiday season. This means avoiding the high sugar and the high carb meals and desserts bound to be at the table. You could volunteer to make a keto dessert with a sugar substitute like monk fruit or stevia (recipes attached) and bring some lower- to the table for you and others who would thank you.

You do not have to make yourself stand out. You can share with your loved ones that you are on a health journey and appreciate their help and support. Most of our good friends and family will be so happy for us as we travel the road to wellness. You have choices; please remember this.

You have more willpower and control than you think.

For those of you who have past the acute phase of health and have things more under control, I recommend healthier options for sure and moderation.

Those of you who can tolerate some meals that contain more foods than your normal diet, be moderate. In this situation, I take a look at where I am health-wise and plan ahead.

This year, I am in charge of the desserts, so I will make all my desserts with monk fruit, and make them gluten-free. I do not do well with wheat or gluten and dairy has never been my friend. I have also worked super hard to lose a few pounds recently and now a days a week off of eating properly for me can undo 3 months of hard work!

Here is my plan for this year: I will enjoy the turkey the vegetables, the potatoes. I may have a small serving of the gluten free dressing  and the sugar free sweet potatoes.  I am bringing  a large healthy salad.

If you have specific question about your individual health condition please ask! We can make a plan together.

Here are two scenarios:

1. You have a health problem, and you know your current eating choices will either help you or hurt you. In this case, plan! Get help from us to plan your holiday meal. Just email or give us a call. We are here to help. Your choices today and for the next few months can determine your future holiday choices!
2. You are in more of a wellness condition but need to be aware and mindful of what you eat so you do not activate old habits or lose progress you have worked hard for. You should also make a plan. Figure out what you can bring to the table so you can enjoy the feast and still feel well afterwards. Be moderate and enjoy smaller servings of the rich stuff, and larger servings of the healthier options like vegetables, salads and protein.

Here are some of my very favorite holiday recipes.

You can make all of them gluten free and dairy free. If you want help to modify one of your recipes to make it healthier, please send it to me via email and I will do my best to help you! I love good food and just because I choose to live healthier does not mean I sacrifice eating well! We teach you how to eat healthy in our crazy world so holidays are no exception. You can have your cake and eat it too. You just may have to modify it a bit so it feeds you and nourishes you! I am here to help.

A Word About Immunity & Avoiding Illness

There is no better time to boost your immunity than right now. We currently are experiencing high levels of upper respiratory illnesses across the age categories. This fall, many of my patients have been sick multiple times with different illnesses, sometimes for weeks on end. Children seem especially vulnerable.

Eating healthy is very important as we ride this new wave of viral overload. Sleeping well and getting a walk in or a workout in regularly can go a long way to preventing illness. Vitamin D vitamin C and zinc are great nutrients to keep elevated during the flu season. We have immune supplement packages available at the office for children and adults.

As many of you know, my custom herbal remedies are strong and effective. Please call and I will formulate one for you. I use therapeutic strength herbals from Australia that are pure and tested to contain exactly what is listed on the bottle. We also have liquid remedies and chewable supplements for the kids. Our immune protocols have kept our patients healthy for the last three years and they will continue to do that now. Even if you have not been in the office for a while, we can still customize an immune supplement program for you and your family. Give us a call.

Getting sick is never good for your body. Long Covid is a reality for many people and comes with a sobering list of inflammatory problems, that current medicine has no solutions for. Repeat infections with Covid carry risks for long term lung problems, heart problems and neurological problems. This is a new virus for our world and for our individual bodies. We are still learning. This Covid virus may very well undermine our bodies’ own immunity. It is never good to be sick. The risks and damage can sometimes be irreversible. I am attaching two articles I would recommend that you read to give you some perspective.

https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2022/11/07/COVID-Reinfections-And-Immunity/

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/repeat-covid-is-riskier-than-first-infection-study-finds-2022-11-10/

Please remember as you gather, to take precautions. Make sure no one is ill and if you are stay home. Masking works. Wear a mask in large groups when you are out. When you gather for holidays, ventilate your home by opening windows, using air purifiers or having large gatherings outside. Take care to protect the older and immune compromised around you.

Here’s a link to the air filters we use at the clinic.

We are still in this pandemic. We are still learning. My advice is to stay vigilant, and do all the common-sense things you have learned to do. I wear a mask in a crowd, in a store or if there are too many people in a small space I wait outside. I carry hand sanitizer and I sanitize often and wash my hands often. I eat outside at restaurants as the weather permits and we do carry out as well.

Take good care. Each of you bring something special and beautiful to this world whether it is art, or being a good mom or a great friend or a mentor to others. Your life matters in this great scheme of things. Advocate for yourself and your loved ones. You are valuable and you deserve the best self-care and the best life you can create!

Happy Holiday Season!

Do You Have a Stubborn Health Problem?

I may be able to help you.

Dr. Melodie Billiot

Would you please take five minutes to fill out a health assessment survey and send it to me? I’ll review your information, then have my assistant call you for any additional information. Then, I’ll let you know if your case might be a good fit for my clinic. This assessment is complimentary, with no strings attached. Either I can help you–or point you in the right direction to get help.

Don’t give up! You can recover your health if you persist.

My “Healthy” Diet (I Wish!)

QUESTION: Would you like to have a healthier diet?

ANSWER: “I wish I could, but I know I can’t.”  

When I talk to people other than my patients, many say that they have tried to improve their diets for years without success. I’ve seen that, in general, most people who say that they want to eat better don’t manage to succeed.

I’ve also seen that almost everyone who says they want to improve their diet has a health issue they hope to improve or control with their healthier diet.

HERE IS HOW TO SUCCEED!

The Two Common Diet-Improvement Goals

1: Get my health problem improved! (This can be weight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes. But it can also be fatigue, hormone problems, digestion, sleep, or many more).

2: Eat healthier = be healthier. I want to be healthier, happier, and feel like I will stay that way because I eat a healthy diet.

Barriers to Eating a Healthy Diet

1: Not knowing how to eat healthier or accepting the wrong advice and trying to eat a diet that won’t work.

2: Uncontrollable sugar, carb and junk food cravings.

3: Being ambitious and attempting too much change too quickly.

4: Changing to a non-sustainable diet that you can’t continue with long-term.

5: Then there’s the big one: “It didn’t work” or “It didn’t work well enough.”

Honestly, it’s rare to hear that a person changed their diet and resolved their health problem. This is because health problems are often made worse by an unhealthy diet but have other causes than just diet.

So, you may see improvement in your health problem if you improve your diet, but it is unlikely to resolve entirely or become stable.

So Then, Why Try to Improve My Diet?

Because if you can successfully improve your diet long-term, you can:

• Feel better,
• Slow the progression of your health problems,
• Prevent new health problems from developing.

AND: You are DOING something about your health instead of just waiting for it to worsen.

What Diet Changes Do I Recommend?

The right thing to do is SOMETHING that will improve your health, and set yourself up to continue doing that “something” long-term.

The wrong thing to do is to get excited about starting a complex diet that involves many changes and then fail (such as low-calorie, keto, paleo, vegan, etc.).

Here’s a link to an article on a simple, immune-boosting diet that breaks down seven simple diet changes by importance. You can start with the most important, do it long enough to become stable, then do the next one.

Since you’re likely to feel better in some way by putting in each of these steps, there’s positive reinforcement.

If you don’t try to change too much too fast, you won’t blow up and quit.

Cravings!

Many of my patients tell me that there’s no way for them to eat a healthy diet, because they have  uncontrollable cravings for sugar, carbs (bread, pasta, doughnuts, pastries, cookies, cake) and junk foods (chips, candy, fast food, pizza).

This can be a very difficult problem, and most people can’t overcome these cravings on their own.

Cravings Solutions:

If you have this problem, you many need some help:

1: Herbal remedies: Herbs such as gymnema can sometimes help.

2: Desensitization: I have often seen patients with sensitivities to such foods as wheat, corn, soy, and sugar can cause severe cravings. Using an acupressure desensitization technique called Systems Desensitization Technique to eliminate these sensitivities can greatly improve cravings while destressing the gut and improving overall health.

3: Acupressure Cravings Treatments: Over a decade ago, I developed a specialized acupressure treatment to help the body better handle the stresses that cause cravings. There are treatments for sugars, refined carbs, food chemicals (junk food cravings) and chocolate. These treatments along with desensitizations and help with diet improvement have all but eliminated cravings as a barrier to health improvement for my patients.

OK, But How Do I Solve My Health Problem?

So, if diet alone is unlikely to resolve most health problems, what IS the solution?

Get tested to determine what factors prevent your body from healing.

If you don’t do this, you will be guessing, trying one thing after another to see what might work, researching the internet endlessly, and finding little to nothing that really helps.

A word of caution: Discovering the cause(s) of your health problem is just the first step. You’ll also have to do something effective to assist your body in regaining its ability to heal.

If you have a stubborn/long-term health problem, there is no single treatment, drug, supplement, or diet that will solve it.

You Don’t Need a Single Treatment; You Need a Guide and a Program

You need an entire program to work with your body, diet, and lifestyle to restore your life and health. You’ll also need a guide to work with you through the program and ensure you get a complete result.

This doesn’t have to be hard. It could be done in less time than you may imagine.

I understand how you feel; it was my own frightening health experiences that inspired my clinic. I’ve been where you are myself.

I’ve been helping cases that are probably similar to yours for 29 years and have developed a comprehensive program that is individualized and unique to you.

Here is your plan:

1. Use the link below to go to my online health quiz.
2. Fill out the quiz and submit it.
3. We’ll call you and do a phone consultation to determine if it’s likely that we could help you.
4. You’ll get started toward feeling better and achieving your diet and health goals.

TAKE THE QUIZ!

Anxiety: It’s A No-Brainer

Chronic anxiety isn’t always caused by a problem with your brain

Anxiety. It can be a horrible, twisting feeling of dread and fear in your stomach. You may be hot or cold, tensed, sweating. It can be debilitatingly severe or just under the surface and slightly coloring everything you do and think.

It’s not anything that you want to experience, ever.

If you’re living day-to-day (and possibly with sleep-deprived nights) with anxiety, you only want it to end. Remember how it feels when, for any reason, the anxiety lightens up a little? It’s such a relief, only to start all over again.

Anxiety can prevent your happiness, but it can also wreck your productivity. It can make you much less effective in all of your endeavors: in your job, your marriage, and as a parent.

The stress from anxiety can create health problems. In particular, digestive problems often are caused or worsened by anxiety. Other symptoms can get worse, from blood pressure to skin conditions.

The Anxiety Myth

Anxiety is very hard to treat effectively.

People do many months or years of therapy trying to reduce their anxiety. They take drugs. They use breathing exercises, meditation, and yoga. But very few anxiety sufferers ever feel that their problem is “solved.” At best, it’s “under better control.”

An important reason for this is that the cause of chronic (continuing) anxiety has been misidentified. If you treat the wrong cause, it’s a sure bet that you won’t solve the problem.

Your brain doesn’t always cause chronic anxiety. This is the myth.

Sure, the brain can signal your body to have anxious feelings. This is a survival reaction, like a healthy fear reaction from getting too close to the cliff edge.

A good shot of anxiety for a few minutes or hours can be completely normal.

Anxiety becomes a problem when it won’t stop.  When it continues and worsens and interrupts your life, this is often caused by a physical problem with your body.

Chronic anxiety can be caused by digestive problems, hormone problems, and even blood sugar issues.

An End to Your Anxiety

Correctly testing for and identifying the problems causing anxiety may lead to a real solution and an end to the problem.

I understand anxiety so well because I’ve worked with it extensively. In the past 28 years, I have helped over 10,000 patients with chronic health conditions, and more than half of them have complained of anxiety as one of their problems.

Your Plan

If you would like to put an end to chronic anxiety, I have two plans for you to follow: