Mel Wardhaugh Functional Wellness

The pain medication industry is HUGE

🔥Inflammation is a root cause of all disease

🕵️‍♀️Pain of "unknown" origin requires deeper investigation

Why?

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💊 over the counter pain meds , such as NSAIDS (ibuprofen) actually erode the mucosal lining in the gut- creating further nutrient deficiencies, overgrowths and metabolic chaos 

👉This can be felt as muscle pain, joint pain, anxiety, depression, headaches, insomnia, ulcers, gastritis , stomach pains

Have you heard of the the gut-pain connection?

Forget traditional hormone testing!

The future of hormone testing is upon us 🫶🏻

The DUTCH (dried urine test for comprehensive hormones) is an easy AT HOME test that can help you find the missing pieces to your health puzzle ladies🙌

Unlike a single blood draw , the DUTCH uses 4-5 urine samples through the day to help get a good snap shot of your:

✅ cortisol (your stress hormone)
✅ the way you are metabolizing cortisol
✅ your circadian rhythm pattern
✅ your reproductive hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and how your liver is metabolizing these)
✅ melatonin
✅ oxidative stress
✅ Neurotransmitter metabolites
✅ and nutritional organic acids

SO MUCH good insight can come from this easy at home test.

Who is the DUTCH good for? Anyone dealing with :

👉 Fatigue
👉 Weight gain
👉 Mood swings
👉 Low libido
👉 Hot flashes
👉 Depression or anxiety
👉 Insomnia
👉 Hormone imbalance
👉 Unwanted hair growth or loss
👉 Acne
👉 Low stress tolerance

7 Signs of Gut Inflammation-

1️⃣ Bloating and gas

✨Frequent bloating or distension may signal disrupted digestion from an inflamed gut lining.

2️⃣ Chronic diarrhea or constipation

✨ Ongoing irregularity often reflects inflammation interfering with normal bowel function.

3️⃣ Abdominal pain or cramping

✨Inflammation can cause discomfort, especially after eating or during elimination.

4️⃣ Food sensitivities or intolerances

✨An inflamed gut barrier can allow partially digested food particles to trigger immune responses.

5️⃣ Fatigue and brain fog

✨Poor nutrient absorption and low-grade systemic inflammation often lead to tiredness and mental fog.

6️⃣ Acne and rashes

✨Skin issues like acne, eczema, or hives can reflect immune system dysregulation linked to gut inflammation.

7️⃣ "Creepy” or tingling skin

✨Some people with leaky gut or systemic inflammation report unusual sensations like tingling or crawling skin (paresthesia), often related to nervous system involvement.

Gut inflammation is largely ignored in conventional medicine, yet it holds the key to many issues... that is why assessing the gut is the cornerstone of my work

Curious what is going on in your gut??

🧫Symptoms of mold toxicity can be wide but can finally make complex symptoms make sense 

Mold Mechanism of action in your ongoing symptoms can include :

➡️Fatigue
Mitochondrial dysfunction from mycotoxins

➡️Brain Fog
Neuroinflammation, reduced oxygen to brain

➡️Fibromyalgia
Central sensitization, cytokine overload

➡️Inflammation
Chronic immune activation, cytokines

➡️Obesity
Hormonal disruption, fat storage of toxins

➡️Allergies
Histamine release, mast cell activation

➡️ Poor Digestion
Leaky gut, dysbiosis, bile/liver sluggishness, SIBO that is resistant to treatment 

If you have been frustrated with in-going fatigue, gut and food sensitives , it might be time to dig a little deeper as our environment continues to rapidly change

Yes🔥🔥🔥🔥

This is why I don't like to only look a hormones, even when symptoms are clearly hormonal.

Wonky hormones are not the problem - they are the RESULT of the problem.

Did you know ....

✅ Your estrogen needs to be excreted through the colon after it has done its job ? - This can be undone by an enzyme (beta glucaronadase) in the gut. The cause? Bad bacterial overgrowth in the gut.

✅ As we age and hormones naturally start to decline, your adrenals take over most of your vitality. Are your adrenals healthy?

✅ Estrogen and progesterone need to be within balance of each other. Even if estrogen is not off the charts too high- if it is relatively high in relation to progesterone .... you are in effect estrogen dominate. PMS City.

✅ Healthy liver function has a direct relationship with ALL your hormones. A lot of metabolic activity happens in your liver. Show your liver lots of love for better hormones.

✅ Your hormones depend on cholesterol as a direct building block.

✅ Are you actually absorbing the good food you are eating??? Food is information for each cell and each system - a set of instructions or a "recipe". Low stomach acid can hinder progress from the get go.

Has your Doctor looked at the whole picture??

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Autoimmunity is the body attacking itself

Your immune system is overactive

But why?

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There are well over 100 autoimmune diseases as of now - you may not even know your diagnosis is classified as autoimmune ...

Celiac
Crohn's
IBD
Hashimoto's
Vasculitis
Pernicious anemia
Type 1 diabetes
Graves
Multiple sclerosis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Lupus
Psoriasis
Guillian barre
Eczema
Endometriosis
Neutropenia
.... the list keeps growing

But did you know auto immunity needs "3 legs" to present itself?
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1- Genetic predisposition
2- Leaky gut
3- the trigger

you may not be able to change your genes but you can change your destiny‼️

Don't just accept it- Always ask WHY you have a disease

The only other option is a lifetime of medication's in surgery 🥹

👉Did you know this about autoimmune conditions??

Is it really just PMS ?

Or could mold & parasites be driving your moods?

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🧠 Mold Exposure and Behavioral Changes

Exposure to mold, particularly toxic molds that produce mycotoxins, has been linked to various cognitive and psychological symptoms:
• Cognitive Impairments: Individuals exposed to mold may experience memory issues, difficulty concentrating, and reduced attention spans. 
• Mood Disorders: Symptoms such as irritability, mood swings, anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances have been reported in those exposed to mold. 
• Neurological Symptoms: Research indicates that mold toxins can interfere with the nervous system’s communication pathways, potentially leading to headaches, memory problems, and sudden changes in mood. 

These effects are thought to result from the immune system’s response to mold exposure, leading to inflammation and neurochemical imbalances that affect brain function.

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🦠 Parasitic Infections and Behavioral Alterations

Certain parasites have evolved mechanisms to alter the behavior of their hosts to enhance their own survival and transmission:
• Toxoplasma gondii: This protozoan parasite, commonly transmitted through cat f***s, has been associated with behavioral changes in humans. Infected individuals may exhibit increased risk-taking behaviors, impulsivity, and even aggression. Some studies suggest a correlation between T. gondii infection and psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. 
• Mechanisms of Influence: T. gondii is believed to affect host behavior by forming cysts in the brain and altering neurotransmitter levels, particularly dopamine, which plays a key role in mood and behavior regulation.

These behavioral modifications are thought to increase the likelihood of the parasite’s transmission to its host (cats) by making intermediate hosts (like rodents) more susceptible to predation. 

🧩 Could mold or parasites be a missing puzzle piece for you too?

If mood swings are driving you mad, its time to dig a little deeper

✈️Share with a mama that needs this

If you think histamine intolerance is just about allergies , rashes and food sensitivities think again .... histamine may be playing games with your mood

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What’s the Connection?

Histamine isn’t just about sneezing or rashes-

it’s a powerful neurotransmitter that directly affects your brain and mood.

When histamine builds up in the body (because you have too much in circulation or not breaking it down well), it can overstimulate the nervous system and lead to mood symptoms like:

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1. Anxiety & Panic
• Histamine can activate the amygdala, the fear center of the brain.
• This can make you feel on edge, hyperaware, jittery, or even trigger panic attacks.
• You may notice racing thoughts, heart palpitations, or sudden waves of anxiety- especially after eating.

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2. Depression & Burnout
• Chronic histamine overload can exhaust the nervous system and lead to:
• Low motivation
• Fatigue or brain fog
• Feeling numb, flat, or hopeless
• This often happens after long periods of high anxiety or stimulation, like an internal crash.

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3. OCD Tendencies & Intrusive Thoughts
• Histamine affects glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter involved in obsessive thinking and compulsive behaviors.
• It can lead to:
• Perfectionism
• Ruminating thoughts
• Mental looping (replaying conversations, over-checking, overthinking)
• Many people with histamine intolerance feel like they’re “stuck in their head” or can’t stop analyzing or worrying.

✨Learning to listen to your body:

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Clues Your Mood Is Linked to Histamine:
• You feel worse after wine, chocolate, leftovers, or fermented foods
• Your mood shifts with your cycle (histamine rises with estrogen)
• You also have symptoms like skin flushing, allergies, bloating, insomnia, or headaches
• You’re highly sensitive to smells, stress, or changes in routine

🥐Celiac has root causes far beyond gluten avoidance

Genetics plays a role but did you know other triggers could be adding fuel to the inflammatory fire 🔥??

In order for the intestine to truly have space for tissue healing you need to find ALL the possible root causes .... gluten is only one

This is largely overlooked

It's vital to dig a little deeper

That is where healing happens

Root cause healing is a different ball game - it takes time & effort.

It is not a bandaid with temporary relief through more meds & surgeries

Toxins are a huge root cause of dis-ease in the body and brain

The 1st step in getting back to feeling like yourself again?

🛑 Putting toxins in/on your body where you can

✅ Next it's time to support the body with proper nutrition , hydration, movement and herbs and proper binders for elimination

Our bodies eliminate toxins daily from our bowels, breath, sweat, urine but requires a lot more help in our current environment

Not only are we competing with an alarming amount of chemicals in our foods, enviorment & hygiene products but most of us are creating internal toxins (& don't even know it!)

🦠 Bacteria, parasites, candida, mold all create waste products (this makes YOU toxic)

But before you can go after these you MUST know how to support your system to avoid feeling worse

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