Case Studies – September 2020 – October 2021
The naturopathic practice looks at the root cause of a situation and does not diagnose or treat with medications. Enjoy these brief case studies and perhaps share with others who may benefit. Used with permission.
You may read the cases below or download the document below.
| case_studies_-_dec._29.pdf |
R.T. is a 21-year-old female. She is in college and lives in an apartment with two other females. She has put on 20 pounds in the last year and it bothers her. She spoke with therapist a year ago and was put on anti-anxiety meds due to pressure of school and fitting in. She complains of dry mouth in the morning but says she doesn’t drink water throughout the day as she used to do. She indicates mouth tingling and jittering in body, anxiety and feeling out of sorts. She is nauseous in the morning but once she eats something, she feels better. She said that caffeine makes it worse and she can tell when a beverage contains caffeine. She says her balance has gotten worse. She has fainted once a couple of months earlier with some jumpiness (she said roommate saw this and wondered if she was having a seizure). She refused to go to doctor.
Participating in case study, she was asked to complete a food and activity diary for a week. She eats a ham and grilled cheese sandwich for breakfast or a peanut butter sandwich. She indicates she doesn’t like to cook. For lunch, she eats fast food which is a chicken sandwich and fries because it’s on campus. She will eat pizza in the evening or processed foods such as tacos (from food truck) and says she likes pasta dishes and her roommate cooks that. She snacks on candy some and her beverages include water, energy drinks for studying and beer/wine on many weekends. She would like to start exercising.
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J.K. is a 24-year-old female. She is on her own and lives with a roommate. She works in a business office. She complains of a dry mouth and thirsty in morning. She has had bouts of dizziness or lightheadedness that she can’t figure out why. The thought of eating food in the morning creates nausea or a feeling of sickness. She jokes she isn’t pregnant but her sister who is says their symptoms sound the same. Her food aversions have gotten worse. He has had an increase in shaking extremities, unease and agitation. She indicates her demeanor has changed over the last 3-4 years. She also pointed out that she can feel a pounding heartbeat and has difficulties quieting her mind.
Participating in case study, she was asked to complete a food and activity diary for a week. With this, it indicates that she skips breakfast mostly and will consume coffee or a caffeinated beverage. She eats a salad or fast food sandwich and fries for lunch around 1 or 2pm. Her dinner is usually pasta that is vegetarian or contains chicken. She rarely snacks and her beverages include water, super punch (which is an energy drink) and sometimes wine. She doesn’t have time for exercise but would like to add this to her routine.
__________________________________________________________________
Both young ladies were diagnosed with same condition of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. One was underweight and one overweight. Both are caffeine sensitive and sensitive to glucose containing foods which cause a cortisol (stress hormone) rush throughout body and then a plummet of low blood sugar. The pancreas is having difficulty keeping up and it's always in survival mode.
This test confirmed that R.T. is on the road to a traditional medicine diagnosis of diabetes which could have induced a seizure or coma. She had already fainted and had a potential undiagnosed seizure. Her pancreas is working overtime to keep up with the amount of sugar that she is consuming. The nutrient test revealed an extreme deficit in vitamins and minerals. Although she is eating calories, she is underfed and over-nourished and in a deficit of real nutrients. The naturopath working with her (G.S.), worked with R.T. to determine what she would commit to. R.T. did not want to feel bad any longer and was ready to take charge of her health and not end up like her father. She stopped eating sandwiches in the morning and agreed to consuming a morning smoothie which contained vitamins, minerals and amino acids. She added more protein to her lunch and dinner and stopped snacking. She was also given a liquid and sublingual vitamin/mineral supplement to bypass the stomach and be fully absorbed since often capsules or tablets are only 20% absorbed. She added a green drink to her afternoon when she would often hit a slump and started drinking herbal tea instead of coffee. Her morning nauseous went away. She decreased her alcohol consumption and drank more water when drinking alcohol to dilute it and not get dehydrated. Her hair and nails improved and she lost 14 pounds in two months which she wanted. In six months, her blood work was repeated. Her vitamin and mineral levels increased but still needed to be improved. She couldn’t understand how she was in a deficit since she ate a lot and was educated about processed foods being foods that are fake and not recognized by the body. Her insulin sensitivity was on the right path. In a year, her blood work was repeated and her vitamins and minerals were in the optimal range, her glucose and other blood markers were healthy and she was no longer insulin sensitive. She is a changed person and under the direction of a physician, weaned off her anxiety meds and realized she no longer needed them. She is very happy to have participated in the case study and said she wondered how many people are out there with the same condition and don’t know it. She is lucky that she addressed this situation when she did before irreversible damage was done.
J.K. has always been slender and the deficit of calories and nutrition have caused malnourishment over the last few years. With the added alcohol that is sugar-based, her morning blood sugar is seriously low. She drags to get herself out of bed in the morning. Although she has annual blood work, her hypoglycemia/low blood sugar was never caught. A microcell blood test was conducted which contained an insulin resistance test which shows insulin sensitivity much sooner than a glucose test. This test confirmed that J.K. is on the road to a traditional diagnosis of diabetes which could have induced a seizure or coma. Her pancreas is working overtime to keep her upright and the nutrient test revealed an extreme deficit in vitamins and minerals. She had created a behavior of not eating breakfast for a few years. This was a problem because she didn’t consume a lot of calories the rest of the day. The naturopath working with her (D.T.), worked with J.K. to determine what she would commit to. J.K. did not want to feel bad any longer and was ready to take charge of her health. She agreed to eat a morning smoothie which contained vitamins, minerals and amino acids. She sipped on this for a couple of hours in the morning and got used to do so within a week. She added more protein to her lunch and dinner and was also given a liquid and sublingual vitamin/mineral supplement to bypass the stomach and be fully absorbed since often capsules or tablets are only 20% absorbed. She added a green drink to her afternoon when she would often hit a slump and reach for caffeine (knowing caffeine didn’t agree with her). Within two weeks, J.K. was feeling rested when she woke up, no longer nauseous in the morning. She switched from coffee to green tea and was better able to process this. When she drank wine in the evening, she would drink more water and didn’t feel deprived any longer. Her skin improved, her friends said her complexion was glowing and she put on 10 pounds in two months which was a goal of hers that hadn’t been discussed. In six months, her blood work was repeated. Her vitamin and mineral levels increased but still needed to be improved. Her insulin sensitivity was on the right path. In a year, her blood work was repeated and her vitamins and minerals were in the optimal range, her glucose and other blood markers were healthy and she was no longer insulin sensitive. She is a changed person. She is no longer anxious, sleeps better, feels whole (as she calls it) and is confident. J.K. is lucky that she addressed this situation when she did before irreversible damage was done.
Although both girls were at different weights, both had very similar symptoms and were placing stress on their pancreas (and other systems) and insulin secretion. Cortisol levels were elevated and the body was always under stress due to eating habits which caused hormonal swings which they believed to simply be PMS. This could further impact the adrenals and thyroid. Remember, everything is connected! When one system is stressed, others step in and burn out their resources. It's never to late to change a habit and create a healthy life.
Thanks to the volunteers who worked with NDs in training for a year. These cases will be published in the next NDNR journal.
Participating in case study, she was asked to complete a food and activity diary for a week. She eats a ham and grilled cheese sandwich for breakfast or a peanut butter sandwich. She indicates she doesn’t like to cook. For lunch, she eats fast food which is a chicken sandwich and fries because it’s on campus. She will eat pizza in the evening or processed foods such as tacos (from food truck) and says she likes pasta dishes and her roommate cooks that. She snacks on candy some and her beverages include water, energy drinks for studying and beer/wine on many weekends. She would like to start exercising.
__________________________________________________________________
J.K. is a 24-year-old female. She is on her own and lives with a roommate. She works in a business office. She complains of a dry mouth and thirsty in morning. She has had bouts of dizziness or lightheadedness that she can’t figure out why. The thought of eating food in the morning creates nausea or a feeling of sickness. She jokes she isn’t pregnant but her sister who is says their symptoms sound the same. Her food aversions have gotten worse. He has had an increase in shaking extremities, unease and agitation. She indicates her demeanor has changed over the last 3-4 years. She also pointed out that she can feel a pounding heartbeat and has difficulties quieting her mind.
Participating in case study, she was asked to complete a food and activity diary for a week. With this, it indicates that she skips breakfast mostly and will consume coffee or a caffeinated beverage. She eats a salad or fast food sandwich and fries for lunch around 1 or 2pm. Her dinner is usually pasta that is vegetarian or contains chicken. She rarely snacks and her beverages include water, super punch (which is an energy drink) and sometimes wine. She doesn’t have time for exercise but would like to add this to her routine.
__________________________________________________________________
Both young ladies were diagnosed with same condition of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. One was underweight and one overweight. Both are caffeine sensitive and sensitive to glucose containing foods which cause a cortisol (stress hormone) rush throughout body and then a plummet of low blood sugar. The pancreas is having difficulty keeping up and it's always in survival mode.
This test confirmed that R.T. is on the road to a traditional medicine diagnosis of diabetes which could have induced a seizure or coma. She had already fainted and had a potential undiagnosed seizure. Her pancreas is working overtime to keep up with the amount of sugar that she is consuming. The nutrient test revealed an extreme deficit in vitamins and minerals. Although she is eating calories, she is underfed and over-nourished and in a deficit of real nutrients. The naturopath working with her (G.S.), worked with R.T. to determine what she would commit to. R.T. did not want to feel bad any longer and was ready to take charge of her health and not end up like her father. She stopped eating sandwiches in the morning and agreed to consuming a morning smoothie which contained vitamins, minerals and amino acids. She added more protein to her lunch and dinner and stopped snacking. She was also given a liquid and sublingual vitamin/mineral supplement to bypass the stomach and be fully absorbed since often capsules or tablets are only 20% absorbed. She added a green drink to her afternoon when she would often hit a slump and started drinking herbal tea instead of coffee. Her morning nauseous went away. She decreased her alcohol consumption and drank more water when drinking alcohol to dilute it and not get dehydrated. Her hair and nails improved and she lost 14 pounds in two months which she wanted. In six months, her blood work was repeated. Her vitamin and mineral levels increased but still needed to be improved. She couldn’t understand how she was in a deficit since she ate a lot and was educated about processed foods being foods that are fake and not recognized by the body. Her insulin sensitivity was on the right path. In a year, her blood work was repeated and her vitamins and minerals were in the optimal range, her glucose and other blood markers were healthy and she was no longer insulin sensitive. She is a changed person and under the direction of a physician, weaned off her anxiety meds and realized she no longer needed them. She is very happy to have participated in the case study and said she wondered how many people are out there with the same condition and don’t know it. She is lucky that she addressed this situation when she did before irreversible damage was done.
J.K. has always been slender and the deficit of calories and nutrition have caused malnourishment over the last few years. With the added alcohol that is sugar-based, her morning blood sugar is seriously low. She drags to get herself out of bed in the morning. Although she has annual blood work, her hypoglycemia/low blood sugar was never caught. A microcell blood test was conducted which contained an insulin resistance test which shows insulin sensitivity much sooner than a glucose test. This test confirmed that J.K. is on the road to a traditional diagnosis of diabetes which could have induced a seizure or coma. Her pancreas is working overtime to keep her upright and the nutrient test revealed an extreme deficit in vitamins and minerals. She had created a behavior of not eating breakfast for a few years. This was a problem because she didn’t consume a lot of calories the rest of the day. The naturopath working with her (D.T.), worked with J.K. to determine what she would commit to. J.K. did not want to feel bad any longer and was ready to take charge of her health. She agreed to eat a morning smoothie which contained vitamins, minerals and amino acids. She sipped on this for a couple of hours in the morning and got used to do so within a week. She added more protein to her lunch and dinner and was also given a liquid and sublingual vitamin/mineral supplement to bypass the stomach and be fully absorbed since often capsules or tablets are only 20% absorbed. She added a green drink to her afternoon when she would often hit a slump and reach for caffeine (knowing caffeine didn’t agree with her). Within two weeks, J.K. was feeling rested when she woke up, no longer nauseous in the morning. She switched from coffee to green tea and was better able to process this. When she drank wine in the evening, she would drink more water and didn’t feel deprived any longer. Her skin improved, her friends said her complexion was glowing and she put on 10 pounds in two months which was a goal of hers that hadn’t been discussed. In six months, her blood work was repeated. Her vitamin and mineral levels increased but still needed to be improved. Her insulin sensitivity was on the right path. In a year, her blood work was repeated and her vitamins and minerals were in the optimal range, her glucose and other blood markers were healthy and she was no longer insulin sensitive. She is a changed person. She is no longer anxious, sleeps better, feels whole (as she calls it) and is confident. J.K. is lucky that she addressed this situation when she did before irreversible damage was done.
Although both girls were at different weights, both had very similar symptoms and were placing stress on their pancreas (and other systems) and insulin secretion. Cortisol levels were elevated and the body was always under stress due to eating habits which caused hormonal swings which they believed to simply be PMS. This could further impact the adrenals and thyroid. Remember, everything is connected! When one system is stressed, others step in and burn out their resources. It's never to late to change a habit and create a healthy life.
Thanks to the volunteers who worked with NDs in training for a year. These cases will be published in the next NDNR journal.
| case_study_-_dec._30.pdf |
December 30, 2021 case study
J.R. is a 63-year-old woman who used to have lots of energy but in the last several months feels tired often and cannot participate in the activities that once were easy. She contributes it to age. She has noticed heart palpitations recently and the feel that her heart is pounding in her chest. She visited her provider and he indicated that it was simply due to menopause. Her provider indicated that she is many years past menopause, but she is still a candidate for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) that can decrease heart palpitations which are common in post-menopausal women. She can take HRT for five years or less to gain the benefits of bone and heart health but past five years, it won’t assist. She also mentioned that she feels like her heart skips beats and feels a rapid pulse and requested to see a cardiologist. Her provider said that there was no indication that her heart or any of the symptoms were related to her cardiovascular health. He ran a CBC (complete blood count) on her but did not look at homocysteine levels or perform a lipid profile.
She decided to participate in the case studies with naturopath (J.L.) because she intuitively felt that something was wrong and didn’t want to take HRT. In her consult, she provided a holistic view and revealed that her father had a pacemaker inserted at 65. She indicated that with her insurance, she needed to have a referral to see a cardiologist. J.R. appeared to have lived a healthy life. She was active, ate healthy, slept well but indicated her sleep quality wasn’t as rich as it used to be and she woke up tired. She was not a napper but had recently started taking naps. She was often dizzy upon waking and didn’t drive in the morning any longer because she feared passing out and hurting others. She made all her appointments and ran errands in afternoon. There was no sign of stroke or heart conditions in her family except her father’s pacemaker. Upon pulse checking by naturopath (traditional Chinese medicine modality), there appeared to be lack of heart rhythm in the lying down position versus seated versus standing. Using a fingertip pulse oximeter that can be used by anyone, it was revealed that J.R.’s oxygen levels were low. The naturopath indicated that J.R. seek a referral by informing physician of her father’s pacemaker and visit to the naturopath showing heart rhythm instability. She finally received a referral and appointment with a cardiologist two months in the future.
Weeks after her visit to the naturopath, she got up one morning and felt dizzy and went in to eat breakfast. The dizziness continued. Luckily her husband was home and when she fainted, she was taken to the hospital. There they indicated that she had a stroke. Various tests were run to determine the nature of the stroke. No blood clots were indicated in her legs; however, it was revealed that there was blood pooling in the heart because of the inefficiency of the blood being pumped between chambers. This is what caused the stroke. Her oxygen saturation levels were low due to the lack of oxygen in the blood. Upon further discovery, it was determined that she would need a pacemaker to regulate her heart rhythm. A pacemaker would allow her heart to beat rhythmically therefore allowing blood to flow and preventing a future stroke. After the pacemaker was inserted, her oxygen saturation levels were elevated to healthy levels and her heart rhythm was stable.
After six months, J.R. feels great. She has lots of energy and feels well-rested upon waking. Although a naturopath cannot diagnose and they don’t chase symptoms, there are methods that can be utilized to assist with recognizing certain symptoms that warrant the client in pursuing traditional medical appointments which may lead to procedures.
Thanks to the volunteers who worked with NDs in training for a year. These cases will be published in the next NDNR journal.
J.R. is a 63-year-old woman who used to have lots of energy but in the last several months feels tired often and cannot participate in the activities that once were easy. She contributes it to age. She has noticed heart palpitations recently and the feel that her heart is pounding in her chest. She visited her provider and he indicated that it was simply due to menopause. Her provider indicated that she is many years past menopause, but she is still a candidate for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) that can decrease heart palpitations which are common in post-menopausal women. She can take HRT for five years or less to gain the benefits of bone and heart health but past five years, it won’t assist. She also mentioned that she feels like her heart skips beats and feels a rapid pulse and requested to see a cardiologist. Her provider said that there was no indication that her heart or any of the symptoms were related to her cardiovascular health. He ran a CBC (complete blood count) on her but did not look at homocysteine levels or perform a lipid profile.
She decided to participate in the case studies with naturopath (J.L.) because she intuitively felt that something was wrong and didn’t want to take HRT. In her consult, she provided a holistic view and revealed that her father had a pacemaker inserted at 65. She indicated that with her insurance, she needed to have a referral to see a cardiologist. J.R. appeared to have lived a healthy life. She was active, ate healthy, slept well but indicated her sleep quality wasn’t as rich as it used to be and she woke up tired. She was not a napper but had recently started taking naps. She was often dizzy upon waking and didn’t drive in the morning any longer because she feared passing out and hurting others. She made all her appointments and ran errands in afternoon. There was no sign of stroke or heart conditions in her family except her father’s pacemaker. Upon pulse checking by naturopath (traditional Chinese medicine modality), there appeared to be lack of heart rhythm in the lying down position versus seated versus standing. Using a fingertip pulse oximeter that can be used by anyone, it was revealed that J.R.’s oxygen levels were low. The naturopath indicated that J.R. seek a referral by informing physician of her father’s pacemaker and visit to the naturopath showing heart rhythm instability. She finally received a referral and appointment with a cardiologist two months in the future.
Weeks after her visit to the naturopath, she got up one morning and felt dizzy and went in to eat breakfast. The dizziness continued. Luckily her husband was home and when she fainted, she was taken to the hospital. There they indicated that she had a stroke. Various tests were run to determine the nature of the stroke. No blood clots were indicated in her legs; however, it was revealed that there was blood pooling in the heart because of the inefficiency of the blood being pumped between chambers. This is what caused the stroke. Her oxygen saturation levels were low due to the lack of oxygen in the blood. Upon further discovery, it was determined that she would need a pacemaker to regulate her heart rhythm. A pacemaker would allow her heart to beat rhythmically therefore allowing blood to flow and preventing a future stroke. After the pacemaker was inserted, her oxygen saturation levels were elevated to healthy levels and her heart rhythm was stable.
After six months, J.R. feels great. She has lots of energy and feels well-rested upon waking. Although a naturopath cannot diagnose and they don’t chase symptoms, there are methods that can be utilized to assist with recognizing certain symptoms that warrant the client in pursuing traditional medical appointments which may lead to procedures.
Thanks to the volunteers who worked with NDs in training for a year. These cases will be published in the next NDNR journal.
