Integrative Health Blog

Why Can't I Smell Now? Post COVID Syndrome

Posted by on Tue, Jul 13, 2021

A lingering long haul syndrome phenomenon and what you can do about it!

An interesting complication for some of those who have had COVID-19 is a loss of smell (anosmia) or decreased ability to smell (hyposmia). This condition is called Post Infectious Smell Loss (PISL) and some studies show that it can affect up to 10% of individuals with Post Covid Syndrome. It is thought to be related to damage to the supporting cells around the olfactory nerves. 

Read More

Tags: functional medicine, essential oils, Dr. Tapscott

Cardiovascular Disease...an Old Person's Disease?

Posted by on Sat, May 15, 2021

Do you have problems with your performance in the boardroom or the bedroom?

Do you have irregular menstrual cycles or infertility concerns?

Are your hands and feet often cold?

Pay attention, as these could be signs of early cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Many people think of CVD in those who have had a heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure or cholesterol problems. And while these are major diseases of the cardiovascular system, it is important to broaden your understanding as YOU may be at risk and need to intervene early.

For example, if you have been diagnosed with erectile dysfunction you have vascular disease in your penis. This is actually an early sign that you likely have blood vessel problems in other organs throughout your body. Memory problems could also be a sign that you have brain vascular disease. Alzheimers is, in fact, considered type 3 diabetes.

For women, irregular menstrual cycles may be the result of a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) which can contribute to infertility. The pathophysiology of PCOS is insulin resistance which is a major risk factor for CVD.

Your body is brilliant at trying to give you clues that something is going on with your vascular system. It is up to you to pay attention to these early signs to ultimately prevent severe disease from happening.

 

PREVENTION

Read More

Tags: heart disease, functional medicine, Dr. Tapscott

How to Get Pregnant 101

Posted by on Mon, Apr 05, 2021

You may think you learned about this in your middle school sex ED class. So why then are so many couples having a hard time getting pregnant?

Infertility rates are on the rise affecting around 11% of reproductive age populations and 25% of these couples have more than one contributing factor.

Why the rise in Infertility?

Has the female anatomy transformed over the years?

Is the sperm not what it used to be?

Actually… yes!

There are structural as well as cellular changes occurring in the male and female body which contribute to infertility. Often these adverse effects on the body are the direct result of how we are living our lives.

The Outside Environment is Affecting Women’s Internal Systems:

Read More

Tags: functional medicine, Dr. Tapscott, infertility

Why Holistic Primary Care?

Posted by on Tue, Jun 25, 2019


How do you choose your primary care doctor?  Referral by friends or picked off an insurance list.  Some young adults may not really care who they see - as long as they get their “annual exam” and have someone write for an antibiotic when they get sick. Others with chronic health conditions visit their doctor to refill their multiple medications which help control their disease symptoms.

But is this enough? Could this interaction between your doctor be far more beneficial in helping you maximize your health instead of just mitigating a disease process?

How much does your doctor really know about you and your true health status?   What can the typical 15-minute visit accomplish in answering your health questions or addressing your ongoing medical concerns? 

Is there an alternative, more comprehensive approach that aims to prevent future health conditions as well as determine the underlying cause(s) of your recurrent problems?

YES! It’s called Functional Medicine and here are 5 reasons why you should schedule this type of visit today.

5 Reasons for Holistic Primary Care with Functional Medicine

  1. Time spent with your doctor.
Read More

Tags: holistic primary care, functional medicine, Dr. Tapscott

Why Is it So Hard to Lose Weight?

Posted by on Tue, Apr 23, 2019

The short answer is…..because we assume it is due to excess calories and not enough exercise.

And although these are factors, they are often not THE answer.

It is also not about the total calories but rather, where the calories are coming from.  In other words, what types of foods you are eating.  We can all agree that 200 calories worth of Oreo cookies does not provide the same health benefit as 200 calories worth of broccoli.  In fact, most of today’s current diets have more in common than not.  They are all filled with non-processed, real foods and a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables.  

But what if you are one of those people already on this healthy diet, eating clean and getting in daily activity but still can’t lose weight.  You then have what we call, “resistant weight loss” which is much more complex and best treated through a functional medicine approach as this article will discuss.

Resistant Weight Loss and a Functional Medicine Approach

There are several potential causes of resistant weight loss.

Read More

Tags: weight loss, functional medicine, Dr. Tapscott

4 Lab Tests to Assess Your TRUE Cardiovascular Risk

Posted by on Wed, Feb 13, 2019

This article will delve deeper into your true health - starting with your heart health.

Your current blood tests may not be enough to give an accurate picture of your true health- especially when it comes to cardiovascular health and your risks for a cardiac event or chronic disease.

Cardiovascular disease is STILL the leading cause of death in men and women. 

Unfortunately many adults undergo their yearly health exam with labs revealing a “normal” lipid panel.  They leave the office with a false sense of their true risk of having a cardiac event as conventional medical labs fall short of accurately assessing your health.

The basic lipid panel looks at your total cholesterol, triglycerides (fats), and the good and bad cholesterol (HDL and LDL, respectively).  And while this test may be adequate for most of today’s teenagers and young adults, if you are older than 35 or have other risk factors, a more extensive panel is warranted.

Let's look at additional cardiovascular risk factors to get a more complete picture of heart health. 

NMR or Cardio IQ Test

Read More

Tags: heart disease, functional medicine, Dr. Tapscott

Intermittent Fasting...It's Not a Diet, It's a Lifestyle

Posted by on Sat, Jan 26, 2019

Many dietary fads come and go but intermittent fasting is here to stay.   Humans have been using this eating technique for ages in virtually every major religion in the world for cleansing and purification purposes.  The ancient Greek writer and historian, Plutarch, wrote, “Instead of using medicine, better fast today.” Unlike starvation, fasting is the voluntary withholding of food for health, spiritual or other reasons.

Today we know of the benefits of fasting beyond a cleanse.  Fasting can improve insulin resistance and diabetes, lipid profiles, weight loss, brain function and cognition, as well as slow down the aging process.

Who should NOT fast?

Pregnant women, newborns and young children, those with prior eating disorders, type I diabetics (unless medially supervised), and severely underweight and malnourished individuals should not fast.

Types of fasting:

Read More

Tags: weight loss, fasting, Dr. Tapscott

Appetite Control Without Medications

Posted by on Wed, Oct 03, 2018

What causes increased appetite?

Appetite is controlled by a complex neuroregulatory system.  There are many factors affecting this mechanism to include the composition of your diet, side effect of medications, chronic stress, hormonal imbalances, and even the types of bacteria that live in your gut. 

Cravings result from a combination of social, cultural, psychological, physiological and genetic factors and can be a major obstacle to weight loss and optimizing one's health. As a functional medicine physician, it is important to examine all underlying factors which may contribute to overweight or obesity.

What can I do to improve this?

If you feel that cravings and increased appetite are interfering with your health goals, try addressing the following list of possible factors.

Read More

Tags: weight loss, functional medicine, Dr. Tapscott